
Class "fi^ \6& & 
Book _^L . 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Sparks from 
A Superintendent's Anvil 

A Practical Helper for every 
Sunday-School Worker 



By A. F. SCHAUFFLER, D.D. 

Author of "Ways of Working," "The 
Teacher, the. Child, and the Book" etc. 




W. A. WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON CHICAGO 






Copyrighted, ipop 
By W. A. Wilde Company 

All rights reserved 



Sparks from a Superintendent's Anvil 



248147 



FOREWORD 

This book is the result of thirty-six years of Sunday- 
school work, and of Bible study. There is in it nothing 
that has not been tested in actual life. The author is not 
ignorant of modern Paidology, in both its excellencies 
and its defects. The matter of teaching, and the manner ^ 
as well as the development of the child, have all been 
considered from the practical standpoint. The Bible 
studies are the outcome of much thought and experience, 
and have been tested in classes most intelligent, and not 
so intelligent, and have been found to stand the test of 
actual work done. That the volume will be most helpful 
to those who are on the " firing line " of Sunday-school 
work is the wish of its author. 

A. F. SCHAUFFLER. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 
CHAPTER 

BOOK I 

The Book or What We Teach 
i. suggested principles in the study of the 

BIBLE .... - 7 

II. BIBLE DRAMAS 17 

III. THREE LANDS OF THE BOOK 28 

IV. THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION . 34 
V. THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY 45 

VI- ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 53 

VII. ACTS — BY STREETS 65 

VIII. MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION IN THE SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL 76 

BOOK II 

The Scholar or Why We Teach 

i. our spiritual work 89 

ii. mistakes that hurt our bible schools . . 100 

iii. superintendents' questions 110 

iv. fiction or fact ? 123 

v. the four personal factors in sunday- 
school success 134 

vi. the point of contact 147 

vii. some defects of modern child-study . . 157 

viii. the early conversion of scholars . . . 167 

5 



6 CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

BOOK III 

The School or How We Teach 

i. the widening horizon ... «, .... 177 

ii. organized bible classes 187 

iii. grading the sunday-school 199 

iv. graded sunday-school lessons ..... 214 

v. graded lessons 225 

vi. the teachers' meeting 234 

vii. gaining and retaining scholars .... 247 

Viii. printer's ink 258 

IX. THE HOME DEPARTMENT ........ 267 



Sparks From 
A Superintendent's Anvil 



BOOK I 
The Book or What We Teach 



CHAPTER I 

SUGGESTED PRINCIPLES IN THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE 

All will agree that the Bible is the most important 
book in the world. On it are based all our modern legis- 
lation and our civilization. It reveals to us more of the 
nature of God than any other book. It points out to us 
the way of salvation, and makes clear to us our duty to- 
ward God and man. It has more of light and comfort 
in its pages than all other books combined. Its uplifting 
influence is shown wherever men adopt its principles. If 
men were to obey the laws that it lays down, this world 
would be at once transformed, and be like heaven. For 
these reasons, thus briefly stated as well as for others, 
the Bible is the best book, and the most precious in the 
world. 

Many Christians believing what has been said above 
have already tried to study this book so that they may 
know what it teaches. But they have started in a vague 

7 



8 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

way, not knowing just how to begin or how to continue 
in their work. As a result, their labor has not been as 
satisfactory as they had anticipated. Parts of the Word 
they have found to be dull, and other parts they have 
not been able fully to master. As a result, they have 
ceased any systematic study of the Word, and have con- 
tented themselves with merely studying those parts that 
are contained in the lessons that they had to teach from 
week to week. This is a pity. 

It is my hope to aid such students, and to entice them 
to take up the study of the Word with a more intelligent 
aim. In the first place, it is well to note that not all parts 
of the Bible are of equal value. For example, Malachi 
is not as important a book for us as Matthew, nor is it 
as needful for us to know the book of Job as it is to 
know the Gospel of John. Not that Job is not magnifi- 
cent reading, for it is. But that it does not contain as 
much practical truth as does the Gospel named. This 
being true, it remains for us to find out, if possible, what 
are the most important books of the Bible, and then to 
concentrate our attention on them. That having been 
done, we may then go on to study the remaining books 
at our leisure. 

Since we believe that God's Spirit had much to do with 
the preparation of the Word, it will be our duty to see 
how he worked in the guidance of the men who gave us 
this book. One of the first things that will strike the 
careful reader is that in the Bible history there are some 
periods that are very slightly touched on, while others are 
narrated in great detail. Take, for example, the story 
as given in the book of Genesis. In the first eleven 



SUGGESTED PRINCIPLES 9 

chapters we have the whole history of the world, includ- 
ing creation, given most briefly. If we accept Ussher's 
chronology (which we know is wrong, but which is the 
best we have up to date), these eleven chapters cover a 
period of not less than two thousand years. On the 
other hand, all the balance of Genesis, or thirty-nine 
chapters, covers the histor} 7 of four men, namely, Abra- 
ham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. This is quite remarkable 
and calls for some explanation. Why did the writer 
thus condense one part of the narrative and so expand 
the other ? The reason for this we shall see presently. 

Again, the first chapter of Exodus covers, at the lowest 
computation, two hundred and fifteen years. But the 
second chapter covers only eighty years. But (still more 
remarkable) the rest of Exodus and all of Leviticus, Num- 
bers, and Deuteronomy cover only forty years. This is 
a very wonderful discrepancy, and there must be some 
reason for it. To discover this reason will be our de- 
lightful task. 

Passing on to the New Testament, we find that in 
Matthew, chaps. 1 and 2 cover thirty years of our Lord's 
life, while all the rest of that Gospel covers only three 
years and a half. The same is substantially true of the 
Gospel of Luke, while neither Mark nor John tell any- 
thing about those thirty years. 

Once more. In the Gospels themselves we find more 
space given to the story of the last few days of our 
Lord's life than to any other equal portion. For ex- 
ample, Matthew gives us (in my Bible) nineteen pages 
on the whole of Christ's life up to the last week, and 
then eleven pages are given to the narrative of about one 



10 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

week of his last days. Surely, there must be some good 
reason for this great difference in the amplitude of the 
narrative ! The same is true in the other Gospels. About 
one-third of their contents is given to the last few days 
of the Master's life. 

Compare, if you will, the space devoted to the story of 
Israel during the Exodus and that devoted to the three 
years of the public life of our Lord. In the former we 
have one hundred and fifty-one pages. In the four Gos- 
pels, which, as we have seen, are almost wholly devoted 
to the story of three and a half years of Jesus' life, we 
have one hundred and twelve pages. If proportionally 
as much space had been given to the story of Israel in 
the desert as has been given to the life of our Lord, it 
would have been expanded to one thousand eight hun- 
dred and twelve pages. Why was the one narrative, 
then, so contracted, and the other so expanded ? There 
must be some good reason for this, and it is ours, as we 
have said, to discover this reason. 

Look at this book now from another standpoint, namely, 
that of miracles. Some people wrongly think that the 
Bible is full of miracles from one end to the other. This 
is not so. There are many miracles in the Word, but they 
are mostly concentrated at a few points. For example, in 
the first eleven chapters of Genesis there are (outside of 
the creation story) few miracles. But when we come to 
the story of the Patriarchs, we find that the miraculous 
begins to multiply. God speaks more often to men in 
that period, and his revelations are more abundant. For 
this, there must be some good reason. 

Again, in what we may call the Mosaic period, miracles 



SUGGESTED PRINCIPLES 11 

begin to multiply as never before. All through those 
forty years God intervenes constantly, and while he does 
not break any of nature's laws, he does undoubtedly 
bring in a higher law in order to prove his revelation to 
mankind. Here for about forty years we find God's 
hand very apparent, and that for good reasons, as we 
shall presently see. 

When we come, however, to the period of the Christ, 
we find that the miraculous multiplies as never before. 
During the life of our Lord, and that of the apostles, we 
find at times many scores of miracles in a single day, and 
at times these are of a very marvelous sort. For this, 
too, there is a good reason. 

From the above the writer draws the conclusion that 
where the narrative amplifies and at the same time the 
miracles multiply, there is to be found a period of es- 
pecial importance. It seems to him that in this way the 
Divine Spirit tries to call the attention of mankind to the 
truths that are especially set forth in that period. Note 
that we insist that the two signs must coincide. The 
narrative must broaden out, and at the same time the 
miraculous must be marked. There are some portions 
of the Word where the narrative amplifies, while the 
miraculous does not multiply, as in the story of David. 
But these are not periods of the utmost importance. 

Now let us see how this theory works out. — Take the 
period of the Patriarchs first. Was not this a period of 
peculiar importance ? We think it was. For, at this 
time, God was founding that "Covenant People" 
through whom he was to transmit to future generations 
his truth. Here is to be found the beginning of that 



12 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

race from whom came all the prophets and all the 
apostles, and even the Messiah himself. The hope of 
the world lay in that people, and on that account the 
story of how God called and cared for the Patriarchs is 
one of the utmost import to us. Not in all the world 
has there been found a race on whom so much depended. 
Nor Greece, nor Rome ever contributed so much to the 
uplifting of mankind as did this people, whose beginnings 
we here see set forth. No wonder, then, that the Spirit 
emphasized so much by narrative and miracle this crucial 
epoch. 

But if this be true in the Patriarchal period it seems to 
us that it is still more true in the period of Moses. And 
why ? Because in this period God, after welding the 
Jewish people together in the fires of affliction as never 
people was welded, was about to transplant them into 
the land promised to their great ancestor Abraham. 
And not only this. He was about to give them his 
laws, to act as their guide in all their national expe- 
rience. He was here establishing as never before the 
worship of one only God. He was here laying the 
foundation for that national religion which was to con- 
tain more of truth than all other national religions put 
together. He was here giving them a higher legislation 
than this world had ever seen, and he was giving Israel 
that system of sacrifice and that tabernacle that was to 
be a type of him who was to come in God's due time. 
Here we find the types of the person and the character 
and mediatorial work of our blessed Lord. Is it any 
wonder, then, that God emphasized this period in a most 
marked way ? Is it not just what we might naturally 



SUGGESTED PRINCIPLES 13 

expect ? When we grasp the significance of the events 
recorded from Exodus 3 to the end of Deuteronomy, we 
no longer wonder at the length of the story or the number 
of divine interventions. 

Pass on now to the Messianic period, namely, that of 
the life of our Lord and his apostles. Here the narrative 
expands into a fourfold story, (besides the Acts of the 
Apostles,) told by four different men. It amplifies very 
largely, most of it referring to only three and a half 
years. Here, too, we see the miraculous multiplying 
more than ever. Is there reason for this ? Most as- 
suredly. For this is the most important of all the epochs 
of human history. In this period we find all the Old 
Testament history culminating. Here is the fulfilment 
of prophecy and typology. The law was only a school- 
master to bring God's people down to Christ. God, 
who had spoken in times past by the prophets, now 
speaks by his Son, and well may we expect the story to 
be told in great detail, and be enforced by signs and 
wonders as never before. If (as all agree) Christ is the 
most important personage in the world's history, then it 
was fitting that his advent should be given in detail, and 
his coming be signalized by many miracles. 

(And just here let us say that the most important 
period in history is yet to come, and when it does come, 
there will be a most marvelous outburst of the mi- 
raculous once more. Some men say that the age of 
miracles is past. We, say that it is suspended, but that 
when he comes again, then will the miraculous reappear 
as never in all the story of this world.) 

Now in view of what we have said regarding the prin- 



14 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

ciple of Bible study, it is apparent that the portions of 
the Word that call for our special attention are those 
which the Spirit of God has most particularly empha- 
sized. He who knows well the Patriarchal, the Mosaic, 
and the Messianic periods of sacred history, has made a 
good start. Then he can go on to study other interesting 
portions, like that of the monarchy and divided kingdom, or 
the return from captivity. But if he tries to take all this in 
before he has mastered in some degree the more import- 
ant epochs, he will be " putting the cart before the horse. 5 ' 
Study now the following diagram as illustrative of what 
we have been trying to make clear. It will help the 
matter materially. The line represents the time from 
Adam to Christ, or (according to Ussher's chronology) 
four thousand years. The upright lines represent each 
five hundred years of time. The letters of the alphabet 
are those of the leading men of the time in which they 
appear. They are as follows, starting from the left. 
Adam, Jared, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Solomon, 
Zerubbabel, and Christ. The dots under some of the 
names signify that at that period the miraculous multi- 
plied greatly. In these periods, too, the narrative am- 
plifies. Note the setting forth to the eye of the manifest 
inequality of the space given to parts of the story that 
are not important to the mind of the Spirit, as we have 
tried to indicate in what we have said. If you will study 
the diagram until you are familiar with it, and, indeed, 
until you can make a similar diagram, you will be able 
to take in the meaning of what has been said above. 



SUGGESTED PRINCIPLES 



15 



VT3T<fco*>trTtV 



N-* 



CO — 



VlDn3XVXWM 

S*VJL*av3Ao* 
S*V3A 2 

•MV3AZ€*>-*3A*£> 
•N3£) JO WHO 6£ v 



> 



z-- 



w- 



* "3 



awv aaam 




<-a 



4 

w 
t 

x 

o 

of 

£ 

fa 

i 

>• 

o 



y 



The second dia- 
gram sets forth the 
relative space giv- 
en in the four Gos- 
pels to the thirty 
years of silence, 
and the three and a 
half years of ac- 
tivity in the life of 
our Lord, and is 
., meant to empha- 
Q size what has al- 
~ ready been said 
J along that line. It 
would be helpful if 
Oi the teacher would 
^ for himself draw 
^ out a similar dia- 
(i^ gram, setting forth 
Q the relative space 
given to the three 
- JM and a half years, 
^ and the last three 
-J days of our Mas- 
f ter's life. This 
j- would setforth the 
H* estimate of the im- 
portance of the 
Master's death and 



resurrection, as entertained by the evangelists. 

Now if we apply these principles to the lessons of the 
International Lesson Committee for the two terms, 
1900-1905 and 1906-1911, we shall see that they have 
recognized this division of matter, and have laid much 



16 SPARKS FKOM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

emphasis on those periods that we have regarded as 
crucial. For example, in the years 1900 to 1905 in- 
clusive, the Committee gave three years and a half to 
the Gospels and the Acts, besides giving eleven lessons to 
the Patriarchal period, and nineteen lessons to the Mosaic 
period. In this way they gave to the crucial periods 
184 lessons out of a total of 264 lessons. (In this count, 
review lessons and temperance lessons, 48 in number for 
the six years, have been omitted.) 

Taking the second course which we began to study in 
1906, and continue through 1911, we find that there has 
been given to the crucial period the following emphasis. 
There have been assigned to the Gospels and the book of 
Acts, three and a half years or 184 lessons. To the 
Patriarchal and Mosaic periods, we have given 26 lessons. 

This makes in all as given to the three important periods 
a total of 210 lessons out of a total of 264 lessons. 

In this way the International Lessons have recognized 
what is of the highest importance in the Word. At the 
same time they have not passed by other parts of the 
Word, but have so dwelt on them as to give the gist of 
the sacred narrative in measurably proper proportion. 

Now if the intelligent teacher has followed us thus far 
in our statement, he has seen that it is well worth his 
time to devote much energy to the study of those parjs 
of the Word to which his attention has been called. If 
he does this, then he will have laid a grand foundation 
for the study of those other parts of the Word to which 
no especial allusion has been made, and in this way he 
will find that he is a teacher who is able " rightly to 
divide the Word of Truth " to those under his care. 



CHAPTER II 

BIBLE DRAMAS 

In this chapter it will be my endeavor to aid the 
teacher in the right understanding of the general out- 
line of biblical history that we should study. In the last 
chapter we gave some suggestions as to why the Bible 
passes certain periods of history by with such short notice 
and dwells at such great length on other parts. Might 
I suggest that the teacher read that over once more so 
as to have it freshly in mind, for it will help in the right 
understanding of what is to be said now. 

Historians often speak of "The Drama of History" 
as though it were a play enacted before the eyes of men. 
If we may adopt this term and apply it to Bible history, 
then we might say that the Bible presents for our con- 
sideration two mighty dramas. One is that set forth in 
the Old Testament and the other that presented in the 
New Testament. Generally dramas are in five acts, so, 
for the sake of clearness, we divide these two biblical 
dramas into five acts. Let it be said right here that we 
have no " Thus saith the Lord " for this division, but 
present it for the consideration of teachers, as a help to 
clearness of thought in Bible study. Others might make 
a different, and, perhaps, a better division. But that 
certain great stages of truth are set forth in the Word 
admits of no successful contradiction. 

17 



18 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANYIL 

OLD TESTAMENT DRAMA 

First Act. — Creation to Noah (Gen. 1-8). Here we 
have set forth, in contradistinction to all other religions, 
the Oneness of God. The first verse of Genesis has 
more of truth in it than all of the imaginations of 
polytheistic religions put together. " In the beginning 
God created." That excludes polytheism, materialism, 
pantheism, and all other false conceptions of the origin 
of this world and of man. When all was finished we 
read " And God saw that it Avas very good." 

The end of this act, however, is marked by failure on 
the part of man. We read that " God saw that the 
wickedness of man was great and that the imagination 
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually " 
(Gen. 6 : 5). So the end of the first act was the oblitera- 
tion of mankind with the exception of one family. 

Second Act. — Noah to Abraham (Gen. 7-12). Here we 
have, as it were, a second probation given to man. With 
the family of Noah, God begins once more ; but this time, 
too, there is on the part of man failure. Man prospers 
and his civilization is very great, but with all this 
material advance he loses his knowledge of Gocl and 
truth. Man says, " Go to, let us build," while God says, 
" Go to, let us confound " (Gen. 11 : 4, 7). So the second 
act ends, so far as man is concerned, like the first, in failure. 

This suggests the fallibility of man unless upheld by 
especial divine grace. We have no confidence in " human 
nature," unless it is supplemented by divine grace. Man 
is capable of all things exalted, if God dwell in him. 
But left to itself human nature tends downward, ever and 
always. 



BIBLE DRAMAS 19 

Third Act. — From Abraham to Kings. In this act we 
see God calling out from heathendom a peculiar people, 
with whom, through Abraham, he makes an especial cove- 
nant. To that people God reveals truth as he does not 
to the world outside. That this statement is strictly true 
is evidenced by all history. For, though the Greek and 
the Eoman worlds produced many wonderful philosophers 
and statesmen, many artists and orators, they produced 
no such men as Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Amos. 
More of divine truth has come to the world through 
these descendants of Abraham than through all others 
put together. For no man in his senses would say that 
even such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, or Socrates 
had uttered as sublime truths as did the Hebrew 
prophets. To Moses alone, of all the Old Testament 
writers, the world owes more than to any other man be- 
fore the Christian era. 

In this act it is that God gave the grand legislation of 
Mount Sinai and the whole system of typology that found 
its fulfilment in the person of the Messiah. This, then, is a 
most significant act, and to it the world owes more than it 
ever can rightly understand. Wipe out what we have 
received through the revelation to Abraham and to his 
seed up to the times of the kings (to say nothing of later 
times), and you have an awful abyss of darkness left. 

Fourth Act. — From Kings to the Captivity. Mingled 
success and failure. After the division of the kingdom 
into two we find in the northern kingdom (Israel) only 
idolatry. Jeroboam started this evil career by the wor- 
ship of the golden calves, and (excepting under Jehu) the 
northern kingdom was given over to idolatry of increas- 



20 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

ing vileness. It will pay the teacher to draw out of the 
record the names of all the kings of the northern king- 
dom, and write opposite to them the chief characteristics 
of their reign. It is a dismal record. In the end it was 
the cause of the captivity of Israel, which came much 
sooner than the captivity of Judah. 

In the southern kingdom (Judah) we have mingled 
godliness and idolatry. Some of the kings, like Hezekiah, 
Josiah, Joash, were good. Others, like Ahaz and Manas- 
seh, were vile. On the whole, things went from bad to 
worse in that kingdom, as well as in the northern 
kingdom. True there were periods of reformation, and 
there were many prophets who did much to restrain the 
evil tendency of the people. There was always a "rem- 
nant " that held to the true religion. But in the end dis- 
aster came to Judah on account of her sins, and she, 
too, marched off to captivity. 

Fifth Act.— Captivity and Keturn. The story of the 
return of Judah from captivity is told in Ezra and 
Nehemiah. It is a most fascinating narrative. That 
which marks it, however, as most peculiar is that from 
the time of the return, even to the present day, the Jew 
has not again fallen into the sin which was his prevailing 
sin, namely, that of idolatry. Strangely enough, in an 
idolatrous land they learned more of the worship of the 
true God than they, as a people, seemed to be able to 
learn in their own land. So far as the writer knows, 
from that day until this, though scattered through all 
the world, the Jew has never practiced idolatry in any 
form. Whatever his faults, in this he has been faultless. 
God cured his people of their most besetting sin. 



BIBLE DEAMAS 21 

HEEE FOLLOWS AN INTEKKEGNUM OF 400 
YEAES. FEOM MALACHI TO MATTHEW 



NEW TESTAMENT DRAMA 

First Act. — John the Baptist to Jesus. Preparation. 
For four hundred years there had been no prophet 
among the covenant people. Then came John the Bap- 
tist. He preached in the wilderness, and to him vast 
throngs went out. His message might be summed up in 
two words : Repent, Prepare. At last the long looked- 
for Messiah was about to appear, and the types given 
under the Old Dispensation were to be fulfilled. It was 
necessary that the nation should be aroused so as to re- 
ceive rightly their great Messiah. This was John's 
message, and right well did he deliver it. For six 
months he preached with great power. John bap- 
tized many, they confessing their sins. So great was 
his influence that many mused in their hearts whether 
he was not the Messiah himself. To all such John 
replied that he was not the Messiah, but only a Voice 
proclaiming the coming of One, the latchet of whose 
shoes he was not worthy to unloose. Thus ended the 
first act. 

Second Act.— The Years of Christ's Public Ministry. 
This began with his baptism and ended with his ascen- 
sion. This was the most important act thus far in all 
the drama of Old or of New Testament history. 
For in this act, " God, who at sundry times and in 
divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by 
the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by 



22 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

his Son " (Heb. 1 : 1, 2). Through the teaching, the 
suffering, and the personal character of the Lord Jesus 
Christ we have received more of divine truth than 
through all the Old Testament prophets put together. 
For the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came 
through Jesus Christ. Here it is that we have the 
greatest of all mysteries, " God manifest in the flesh." 
In the person of our blessed Lord we have the comple- 
tion of all the types of the Old Testament. He it is 
who is forever our high priest, so that we no longer 
need any human priests to intercede for us. He it is 
who is our Lamb, so that we can say, Now is Christ our 
Passover sacrificed for us. Through his sacrifice we 
have atonement and the remission of our sins. If we 
lost all of the Old Testament, we should lose much. 
But if we retained the story of the life and death of 
Jesus, we should still have the best of the divine revela- 
tion left to us. Language fails to express adequately 
what truth has come to mankind through the events of 
this second act in the drama of the New Testament. 

Third Act.— From Pentecost to the Turning to the 
Gentiles. In the Old Testament we have the founda- 
tion of the Jewish church. Through this people we 
have had preserved to the world true monotheism. In 
the New Testament we have the foundation of the 
Christian church. This took place on the ever memo- 
rable day of Pentecost. Then was founded that church 
which under various names and forms still abides and 
will abide to the end of the age. Endued with power, 
twelve simple men, without wealth, position, or educa- 
tion, laid the foundation of that church which has been 



BIBLE DKAMAS 23 

of boundless blessing to the world, and which to-day, in 
spite of all its shortcomings, is the best thing that this 
poor world has. At first this church was made up of 
believing Jews. But soon the "middle wall of parti- 
tion " between Jew and Gentile was broken down, and 
Peter received at Cassarea Gentiles into the fold. Thus 
the world-wide nature of the church of Christ was 
established, and there was no longer " any difference," 
and Jew and Gentile were united in one fold. But 
alas ! the Jewish world, as a whole, was not willing to 
receive the new truth, and rejected God's messengers so 
that they " turned to the Gentiles." Paul says to the 
Jews, "It was necessary that the Word of God should 
first have been spoken to you ; but seeing ye put it from 
you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, 
we turn to the Gentiles " (Acts 13 : 46). More and more 
from that time on the Gospel has been accepted by the 
Gentile world, and but few Jews have been willing to 
accept Jesus as their Messiah. 

Fourth Act. — The Times of the Gentiles. In this act 
we now are. Though we do not understand the ways 
of God, which are past finding out, excepting as he re- 
veals them to us, we can see certain great outlines of 
his dealing with men. Among these is this, that to the 
Gentiles now the truth has come. The days of the 
covenant people have passed for a season, and the times 
of the Gentiles have been ushered in. As the Apostle 
Paul says, " Blindness in part hath happened to Israel." 
Over the eyes of Israel a veil has fallen, so that they do 
not see that the Messiah has come, and that the promises 
to their fathers have been fulfilled. 



24 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

We must not conclude, however, on this account, that 
God has cast away his people. He has not. Though 
Jesus has been to them a " stumbling-block," yet the 
time is coming, when the fulness of the Gentile world 
has been gathered in, that the veil shall be lifted, and all 
Israel shall see and shall accept the Nazarene as their 
Lord and Master. In the meantime Jerusalem must be 
trodden under foot of the Gentiles, until the " times of 
the Gentiles be fulfilled," as our Master said. (See Luke 
21 : 24.) One of the wonders of history is to be found 
in the story of the covenant people, since the days of 
their rejection of their own Messiah. They cried, " We 
have no king but CaBsar," and from that day to this they 
have had earthly tyrants enough. Koman emperors, 
Greek kings, Czars, Sultans, all have ruled over God's 
ancient people. They have been scattered over the 
whole earth. And yet they have preserved their national 
faith pure, as no other nation on earth has ever done un- 
der similar circumstances. 

How long are the " times of the Gentiles " to last ? 
We do not know, and all attempts to fix dates are futile. 
But they will not last forever. The time is coming 
when the " times of the Gentiles " will come to an end. 
Then Act IV of the great New Testament drama will 
close. 

If the teacher wants to find Scripture confirmation of 
what we have said about the " veil over the eyes of 
Israel," let him read carefully Komans 9, 10, and 11. 
There he will find much food for thought as to God's 
dealings with Israel in these later centuries. Of course 
he will find there much that seems hard to understand. 



BIBLE DRAMAS 25 

But that God is dealing with them in his wisdom there 
can be no manner of doubt. 

Fifth Act. — The Ingathering of Israel. This act is yet 
in the future. When the " time of the Gentiles " comes 
to an end, then the veil that has darkened Israel's vision 
for these centuries will be lifted. As Paul says in his 
second letter to the Corinthians, chap. 3 : 16, the veil 
shall be taken away, and Paul adds that if the blindness 
of Israel has brought blessing to the Gentile world, what 
shall their restoration be but as life from the dead to the 
Gentile world itself. God has not cast off his people, 
but reserves for them blessings in the future, when they 
shall be willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, who is 
of their own flesh, as their Eedeemer and Lord. Then 
to the Jewish world, and to the Gentiles as well, there 
will come a greater blessing than this world has ever 
seen. 

If now the reader will pause to consider the ground 
that we have been over in these dramas of the Old and 
the New Testament, he will see their great significance. 
He will understand more of the divine plan of dealing 
with men in the past and of God's action toward them 
in the future than he can learn from all other books put 
together. The fulfilment of past prophecies will assure 
him that those that lie yet in the future are sure to be 
fulfilled. He will understand the significance of the 
Old Testament history as perhaps he has never done be- 
fore. It will show him how the Old Testament enfolds 
the New, and the New unfolds the Old. History be- 
comes more comprehensible than it ever was before, and 
we understand many of God's purposes in his dealings 



26 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

with the sons of men. We see now why certain parts of 
the history which deal with important periods in God's 
purpose are amplified and given in great detail, while 
those parts that are not of such grave import are passed 
over in comparative silence. We see why the story of 
the coming of the Messiah is told more fully than that 
of any other portion of history, because in this life we 
have the fulfilment of what had passed, and the promise 
of what is still to come. 

We see also this great truth that in the dispensation of 
God the golden age is not in the past, but in the 
future. Heathen nations are apt to point to their past 
history as containing their golden age. They mourn 
over its departure, and cherish no hope of its return. 
To the believer in the Word of Promise, the golden age 
of God's people is yet to come, and God has reserved 
the best to the last. The world to-day is better than it 
was yesterday, and to-morrow it will be better still. 
This world is not always to groan and travail in pain as 
it has done these millenniums, but is one day to be de- 
livered from its burdens, through the redemption that is 
in Jesus Christ, for he is yet to see of the travail of his 
soul and be satisfied. 

Finally, as co-workers with God, we can do better and 
more intelligent work as we better understand his 
plans, so far as they are revealed. We need not 
work in the dark, but in the light. We need not 
pray for the coming of his kingdom (as we do in the 
Lord's prayer) without feeling confident that we are in 
the line of his own blessed purpose. Now we may feel 
sure, as perhaps we never did before, that " all things 



BIBLE DKAMAS 27 

work together for good to those who are in Christ Jesus, 
who are the called according to his purpose " (Rom. 
8 :28). So we toil on, knowing that our labor shall not 
be in vain in the Lord, and that in his own good time 
and way the triumph is secure. 



CHAPTEK III 

THREE LANDS OF THE BOOK 

My theme is three lands of the book, namely, the 
land of Egypt, the land of the "Wilderness, and the land of 
Promise. For the sake of clearness we divide them as 
follows : the land from which Israel came, the land 
through which Israel came, and the land to which Israel 
came. 

No teacher who is ignorant of the general aspect of these 
lands can do the best work with the class. Ignorance is 
not a good tool for the teacher to use. Yet there are 
many teachers who do not know anything at all about 
the general characteristics of these Bible countries. 

Take, then, first, the land from which Israel came. 
This is the land of Goshen, in Egypt. This lay in the 
northeastern part of Egypt, and was a rich land. It 
had no mountains, but was level, and in all parts well 
watered by the river Nile. No frost ever destroyed the 
crops in that land, and no violent rains injured the fields. 
It was most fertile and was counted the best part of 
Egypt. Had it not been for the bitter bondage which 
Israel had to endure, it would have been an ideal land 
for them to live in forever. 

When Israel came out of Egypt they soon passed into 
a land of an entirely different kind. The peninsula 
of Sinai is most stern and rugged. The northern part 
of this peninsula is a high tableland of limestone, about 

28 



THREE LANDS OF THE BOOK 29 

two thousand feet above the level of the sea. This they 
called " the great and terrible wilderness," on account of 
its unfruitfulness and its lack of good water. South of 
this desert there stand the grand mountains of the Sinai 
group. In the midst of this group Israel lay encamped 
for about one year. The plain on which they pitched 
their tents was the plain of Er Kahah, and was about 
five thousand feet above the level of the sea, while the 
mountain on which Moses received the law towers about 
the plain for two thousand feet. This mountain rises so 
abruptly from the plain that one may walk up to it and 
lay one's hand on it, much as one does with a perpendic- 
ular wall. 

North-north-east of this region of Sinai lies the Negeb, 
or land of the forty years of wandering. It is a moun- 
tainous land, and so desert that the people had to 
be fed with manna lest they perish. Of course, it was 
their own fault that they did not go at once into the 
land of promise, and had they not rebelled against God, 
they would have been in Canaan within two years after 
leaving Egypt. In this land the only inhabitants were 
the roving Amalekites. They were bitter enemies of 
Israel, attacking them in the rear, and cutting off such 
stragglers as they could entrap. They fought one 
pitched battle with Israel at Kephidim before ever 
Israel reached Mt. Sinai. 

So much for the two lands, from one of which Israel 
departed, and through the other of which Israel passed. 
This brings us to the land to which Israel was journey- 
ing. What kind of a land, then, was this, geographic- 
ally ? It was in many respects a remarkable land. In 



30 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the first place, it was not a large land. In its widest 
extent it was only about as large as Massachusetts and 
Connecticut together. This reminds us that a land is not 
dependent on its size for the influence that it exerts. 
Greece was a very small land, yet its influence on 
humanity has been very much larger than that of Persia, 
which was vastly larger. Scotland is a small land, yet 
it has had a very large influence on modern civilization 
and thought. 

Palestine may be divided into four distinct regions. — On 
the west we find, running from end to end of the land 
(interrupted only by the promontory of Mt. Carmel), a 
low plain, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This was 
called the maritime plain. Its soil was rich and its 
crops abundant. Two portions of this plain were 
especially remarkable ; the one being the plain of 
Sharon, southeast of Joppa, and the other the great plain 
of Esdraelon, southeast of Mt. Carmel. On this latter 
plain it has been said that more battles have been fought 
than on any other one spot in the world. 

East of this maritime plain we found a low range of 
foothills, which are called the " Shephelah." This was 
composed of grassy hills about three hundred feet high, 
on which shepherds found abundant pasture for their 
flocks. Then came what we might call the " backbone " 
of the land, in the shape of a mountain range, running 
through the whole land, from north to south, averaging 
about twenty-five hundred feet in height. Nestled in 
among these mountains lay some of the most renowned 
of the cities of Israel, such as Nazareth, Samaria, 
Shechem, Shiloh, Bethel, Jerusalem, and Hebron. At 



THREE LANDS OF THE BOOK 31 

the extreme north of the land this range terminated in 
the lofty peaks of Lebanon, while in the extreme south 
it fell away in the deserts of the Negeb, or south land. 

Due east of this " backbone " of the land lay the Jordan 
valley. In America we should call this valley a canyon, 
for it has been cut by the Jordan itself, which word 
" Jordan " means the Descender. At its northern portion 
this valley is above the level of the Mediterranean, at 
least seventeen hundred feet. But its descent is so swift 
that as it enters the Dead Sea it is thirteen hundred feet 
below the Mediterranean, having descended four thousand 
feet. Its whole length is only one hundred and thirty- 
four miles, but owing to its many windings, it is really 
two hundred miles long. 

Once more, east of the river Jordan lies the eastern 
tableland. This consists of mountains that rise quite 
abruptly from the gorge of the Jordan, and then slowly 
fall away to the great Arabian desert on the east of the 
Holy Land. This is a most fertile land, and in ancient 
days was a kind of granary for the whole of Palestine. 
In modern days it had been given over to the roving 
tribes of the desert, and is unsafe for travelers to the east. 

From what has been said above it may be realized that 
the land had many different kinds of soil, climate, and 
characteristics. The valley of the Jordan was tropical 
in its climate, and at Jericho and at other places the 
palm tree flourished. But in the mountain ranges snow 
fell each year, while in the loftier ranges of the north 
snow lay for a large part of the year. In this remark- 
ably small and yet equally remarkably influential land 
the patriarchs lived, and here the prophets spoke. Here 



32 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

it was that our blessed Lord lived for the whole of his 
life, and here it was that the beginnings of the Christian 
church may be found. From it came the Book of books 
that we call our Bible, and in it at one time alone was 
the true God worshiped. These are among the reasons 
why it is truly called a remarkable land. 

If, now, we look at the seas of this land, we shall find 
them three in number. In the north there lies the sea 
of Merom. This is a small body of water, only three 
miles across. There are no very noteworthy incidents 
connected with it. South of this lies the Sea of Galilee, 
a fine body of water about fourteen miles long and nine 
miles wide. It is embosomed among the beautiful hills of 
Galilee, and is remarkable for the many miracles that 
the Master wrought in the towns on its shores. As it 
lies in the line of the canyon of the Jordan, it is exposed 
to sudden and violent storms, such as those which nearly 
wrecked the fishing-smacks of the disciples. In our 
Saviour's time it was surrounded with many and popu- 
lous cities, and had on its bosom hundreds of fishing- 
boats. At present there is only one town there, Tiberias, 
and that is not mentioned in the sacred narrative at all. 

Further south we find the Dead Sea, about forty-six 
miles long and thirteen hundred feet below the level of 
the Mediterranean. It has no outlet, the evaporation 
in that hot basin being sufficient to dispose of all the 
water that the Jordan pours into it. Its waters are so 
impregnated with solid matter that it is impossible to 
sink in it, and, of course, they are unfit for drinking 
purposes. It never had any large cities on its banks, 
Jericho being the one nearest to it. In patriarchal days, 



THREE LANDS OF THE BOOK 33 

Sodom and Gomorrah lay (probably) on the north end of 
it, but all traces of them have long since disappeared. 

Finally, in this brief review of the characteristics of the 
land, we come to its chief mountains. Beginning at the 
north we have Mt. Hermon, nine thousand feet high. 
It is now thought that it was on one of the spurs of this 
mountain that the transfiguration took place. West of 
the Sea of Galilee Ave have the " Horns of Hattin," 
which is supposed to be the Mount of Beatitudes, where 
Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. At the 
northeastern corner of the great plain of Esdraelon lies 
Mt. Tabor, where Deborah and Barak fought, which rises 
to the height of two thousand feet. A little further south 
we find Mt. Gilboa, where Saul and his son Jonathan 
fell in the battle with the Philistines. 

Mt. Carmel, noted for the sacrifice of Elijah, and as 
the subsequent dwelling- place of Elisha, rises from the 
plain of Esdraelon, and juts out into the Mediterranean 
Sea. To the east of Jerusalem, and, indeed, overlooking 
that city is the Mount of Olives, made eternally sacred 
through its associations with the Lord himself. From 
its summit you can look far south and see Mt. Nebo, 
where Israel's great leader, Moses, died, and where his 
burial-place still is, though no man knoweth its exact 
locality to this day. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 

Methods of teaching are important. But it is also of 
the greatest importance to know what to teach. Now of 
all our blessed Master's life, no part is of more impor- 
tance than this last week, from the Friday before his 
crucifixion to the day of his burial. The evangelists 
give more space to this than to any other part of his life ; 
and this is most significant. 

In order to simplify the story and bring out its salient 
points most clearly, we shall divide what we have to 
say under the following heads : 1. Christ's friends. 
2. Christ's foes. 3. Christ's triumph. 4. The tem- 
porary triumph of his foes. 5. The despair of his dis- 
ciples. All of these are compacted into the bitter experi- 
ences of that one week. They mark the culmination of a 
life such as never before blessed this world, and are well 
worth our most careful and prayerful attention. 

i. Christ's friends. — Of these there were many. In the 
first place, we have his apostles. Then there were many 
others who believed on him, for there were thousands 
to whom he brought blessing both in body and soul. 
From all over the land they came to Jerusalem to attend 
the feast of the Passover. Many also came to see 
Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, and many 
came to see Christ, for they seem to have had the 
thought that he would at this time show himself as the 

34 



THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 35 

king of Israel for whom they had so long waited. 
Probably there were thousands of those whom he had 
healed, or to whose families he had ministered, and other 
thousands who had heard him preach, all of whom were 
enthusiastically devoted to him. It was from this multi- 
tude that the songs of praise arose, as he rode into the 
city of David on Palm Sunday. It was this same multi- 
tude, of whom his foes were so afraid that they declared 
that they could not arrest him on a feast day, " because 
they feared the people." Had Jesus chosen to proclaim 
himself David's successor, this is the throng that would 
have hailed him, and have crowned him their king. 

2. Christ's foes. — These were not so numerous as his 
friends, but they were the leaders of the people. Scribes, 
Pharisees, chief priests, were all in this catalogue. At 
first, when Jesus began to teach, they had watched him 
to see whether they could use him for their own political 
purposes. If he had made himself one with them in 
their ambitious schemes, they would, doubtless, have 
hailed his advent with delight. Their aims were all 
earthly. They wanted to expel the Komans, and set up 
a purely Jewish government, with their own members as 
leaders. Any one who could succeed in doing this 
would have been hailed by them with joy. But as time 
went on, and they saw that Jesus had no such aim as 
this, they began to antagonize him. 

Then, too, he did not observe many minor ceremonies 
to which they attached undue importance, such as the 
ceremonial washing of hands, of pot and cups, etc. For 
this they condemned him, not realizing that the inner 
spirit of true religion was of vastly more importance 



36 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

than the observance of rites and ceremonies. He re- 
fused to keep the Sabbath day in the absurd manner in 
which they observed it, and this made them very angry. 
Then, again, he mingled with the common people, and 
did not refuse to receive publicans and sinners, and to 
eat with them. In this way they thought that he de- 
filed himself, and, of course, they condemned him for 
this also. 

In his teaching they heard him say, " Ye have heard 
that it hath been said by them of old time, . . . but 
I say unto you." This they thought was arrogant, and 
they took offense that one who was a carpenter, and 
whose family was obscure, should speak in this way. 
Had he come from a " good " family, they might have 
stood it ; but to have a " common man " teach in this 
self-reliant way was too much for these ambitious men. 
All this anger and jealousy was increased by his popu- 
larity, for they saw that thousands on thousands fol- 
lowed him, and that he was every day gaining followers. 
The common people heard him gladly, and were full of 
his praises. 

The anger of this set of men was further increased by 
his first cleansing of the temple. They had allowed all 
manner of things to go on in the temple court that were 
dishonest, and that ill became the house of God. It was 
their business to have remedied this, but on account of 
the gain that came to the priests they permitted it to go 
on. His action in driving out the money-changers and 
the sellers of doves was a condemnation of their course 
that they felt and did not soon forget. 

Add to this his frequent rebukes of their conduct, and 



THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 37 

remember that they were openly delivered, and that the 
men whom he rebuked considered themselves far above 
him, and you will see how their hatred grew more and 
more bitter as the years went on. Long before this last 
week in his life they had made up their minds that he 
must die. He was in their way, and as they could not 
stop his teaching, and could not deny his great miracu- 
lous power, they felt that the only way to get rid of his 
presence was to do away with him altogether. 

Now just as Christ's friends had rallied in great num- 
bers at this feast of the Passover, so his foes had rallied 
also. Their one theme of conversation before that feast 
was as to whether Jesus would come to it or not. There 
is little doubt that they hoped that he would not come, 
for they feared the enthusiasm of the people, and dreaded 
the outcome of any popular demonstration. So when he 
did come, they watched his every movement with the ut- 
most anxiety, lest he should take advantage of the 
throngs present, and achieve some notable success. As 
a result of conference with one another, they had agreed 
that they would not do anything to anger the people, 
lest they themselves should lose ground in their opposi- 
tion to this teacher. True, they had already decided 
that they might take him by subtilty and kill him, but 
they also said : " Not on a feast day, lest there be an 
uproar among the people " (Matt. 26 : 3-5). This then 
was the critical situation of affairs when Jesus came to 
Bethany on Frida}' evening before the Passover. Now 
we will trace the current of events that culminated in 
his death and burial. 

3. Christ's triumph. — Friday evening Jesus arrived at 



38 SPAEKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Bethany. The next day was the Sabbath. That even- 
ing he dined at the house of Simon the leper, and there 
he was anointed by Mary, while Judas murmured. On 
the next day he rode in triumph into the city. All his 
friends were there and united in praising him as the Son 
of David. Of course, all this made much talk in that 
city, for every one there knew of what had happened, 
and was discussing it. The result was that the Pharisees 
saw that their party was losing ground, and they said 
among themselves, " Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing. 
Behold the world is gone after him" 

On Monday Jesus again went into Jerusalem. — Here 
for the second time he purified the temple, and healed 
the lame and the blind. The children, who were there, 
broke out in praise of him as the Son of David. He at 
this time reproved the priests and scribes, who, he knew, 
wanted to destroy him, and were restrained only because 
they feared the people. That evening he again went to 
Bethany, where he spent each night from Friday till the 
next Wednesday. 

On Tuesday he once more went to Jerusalem. — By this 
time the hostile party had taken counsel together. They 
had made up their minds that as they did not dare attack 
Jesus openly, they would try and undermine his authority 
with the people by covert assault. They chose out their 
shrewdest men, and met him in the temple court, in the 
presence of a vast throng of people. Then they pre- 
sented to him such questions as thej^ thought would per- 
plex him, and lead him to give a wrong reply. In that 
case, they planned to turn to the people at once and say, 
" See ! this man whom you praise is wrong in his teach- 



THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 39 

ings, and, therefore, you are unwise in your admiration 
of him." Their efforts, however, failed utterly. He 
came out ahead in that conflict, and triumphed over his 
adversaries. Then it was that he turned to the multi- 
tude, and began that terrible arraignment of the Scribes 
and Pharisees, which we find in Matt. 23 : 2-39, com- 
mencing, " The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat : 
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that ob- 
serve and do, hut do not ye after their works : for they 
say, and do not" Be sure to read all that he said, and, 
in doing so, remember that he was denouncing the rulers 
of the nation, and was doing it in the presence of thou- 
sands of people. In this way you will realize better how 
they must have smarted under these scathing words, and 
have hated the one who uttered them. 

That evening, after he had gone out to Bethany, his 
foes held a secret council, and, stung by his denunciation 
of them, agreed to give Judas thirty pieces of silver if he 
would betray Jesus to them, at some time and place 
where the multitude would be absent. The way in 
which Judas came to betray his Master was (as I con- 
ceive it) as follows : He was the treasurer of the twelve. 
His duty was to receive and expend the contributions 
that friends gave for the support of the disciples. He 
yielded to the spirit of covetousness, and stole part of 
that which he received. This evil spirit grew on him. 
At the feast in Simon's house on that last Saturday 
evening, he was angry because Mary spent so much in 
anointing the Master's feet. He wanted Mary to give 
him that precious ointment. He would then have sold 
it, and have retained part of the proceeds. When the 



40 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Master rebuked his covetous spirit, Judas was angry. 
He knew that the enemies of Jesus were ready to pay 
any one who was able to betray him into their hands. 
So he thought, " If I cannot get money in one way, I 
can in another." Led by his wicked desires, he went off 
at once to the chief priests, and said, " How much will 
you give me if I betray Jesus into your hands ?" He 
then accepted their offer, and from that moment he laid 
his plans to carry out his bargain. 

The next day was Wednesday. — All that day Jesus 
seems to have remained quietly in Bethany, resting be- 
fore the breaking of the storm that was now so near at 
hand. What he did or said on that day we are not told. 

On Thursday, too, the Master remained in Bethany, 
until the afternoon. Then he sent two of his disciples 
into the city to prepare for the celebration of the Pass- 
over, and later in the afternoon he followed them with 
the rest of the disciples. There, in the upper chamber, 
they partook of the Passover. Then Jesus went on, and 
instituted the Lord's Supper, before which, however, 
Judas went out to carry out his bargain with the chief 
priests. While the Lord was speaking the words that 
are found in John 13-17, Judas was busy with his ar- 
rangements for the betrayal. Then Jesus went forth to 
the garden of Gethsemane, and there he passed through 
that agony in the garden, which drew the bloody sweat 
from his brow. It was now late, and pious believers 
were all through with their Passover celebrations, and 
had gone to rest. The city was quiet, and all of Jesus' 
friends were wrapped in slumber. It was a good time 
for his enemies to be astir. 



THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 41 

4. The temporary triumph of his foes. — They had not 
intended to bring their opposition to a head at this time, 
for Christ had too many of his friends present, and they 
were afraid of a tumult. But when his attacks on them 
in the temple court angered them, and at the same time 
Judas came with his offer of secret betrayal, they thought 
that they saw the w r ay clear to push their hatred of him 
to its legitimate end. So they took prompt action, and 
after midnight arrested him. Having taken this step, it 
was of the highest importance that the trial should be 
pushed through with the utmost swiftness, before his 
friends should be awake the next morning. Only this dire 
necessity will account for the way in which his foes acted. 

The trial was a manifold one. — It was both ecclesias- 
tical and civil. For, in the first place, the Jews wanted 
him tried by their own authorities, so that they could 
condemn him as a Uasphemer. But, in the second place, 
they wanted him put to death ; but as they had not the 
power of life and death, which the Roman government 
held in its own hands, they had to go before the Boman 
governor and have him condemn Jesus to death on the 
charge of treason against the government. This will ex- 
plain why they first went before the Sanhedrim. Here the 
charges were entirely religious. They included the 
charges of Sabbath breaking, and of blasphemy in speak- 
ing against their temple, and of making himself equal 
with God. "With all haste the great council was called 
together, so that they might get through their work and 
pass the matter over to Pilate before the people should 
be awake and, perhaps, attempt a rescue. In spite of the 
fact that their witnesses did not agree, they all voted that 



42 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

he was guilty of blasphemy, and condemned him to 
death. Then they, with one accord, rushed over to the 
judgment hall of Pilate, and there again began to accuse 
him. 

The Roman trial. — Before Pilate they utterly aban- 
doned their religious charges, and brought forth political 
chargesy such as that Jesus forbade men to pay their taxes, 
and that he set himself up to be a king, thus being guilty 
of treason. Of course, all this was false ; but anything 
that would serve to have him condemned was used, 
without regard to its truth. Pilate soon found out that 
there was nothing in their charges, and that Jesus was 
innocent. Again and again he affirmed his conviction 
that there was no fault to be found with the prisoner. 
In his effort to escape condemning Jesus he sent him to 
Herod, who was in the city at that time. But neither 
did Herod find in him anything blameworthy. So he 
sent him back to Pilate. 

Through all this farce of a trial the chief priests had 
men of their own choosing, "sons of Belial," to back 
them up by their wild outcries against Jesus. Whenever 
they saw Pilate waver for a moment, they filled the air 
with their cries of "Crucify, crucify I" Still Pilate re- 
fused, until at last the ecclesiastics used one argument as 
their last and most effective, saying that unless Pilate 
condemned the prisoner he was not loyal to Caesar. 
Pilate understood by this what they meant ; namely, that 
they would complain of him at Rome. Of this he was 
afraid, for his standing there at this time was none too 
good. So he gave sentence that it should be as they re- 
quired. 



THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION 43 

Now bear in mind again the haste with which all this 
was done. The trial before the Sanhedrim and the two 
before Pilate and Herod, the condemnation and the cru- 
cifixion itself, were all pushed through before nine o'clock 
in the morning. This was lest the people (who had been 
up late the night before celebrating the Passover, and 
who, therefore, were late in rising) should rally to his 
rescue. In this they showed their diabolic shrewdness, 
and in it, too, they were successful. For by nine in the 
morning it was all finished, and Jesus was hanging to the 
cross, guarded by Eoman soldiers, and an attempt at 
rescue would have been useless. Then with truly devil- 
ish joy, these chief priests and scribes and elders mocked 
him, saying, " If he be the king of Israel, let him now 
come down from the cross, and we will believe him." 
How false this was is apparent from the fact that three 
days later he arose from the dead, and instead of believ- 
ing him they lied about the whole matter, and still re- 
fused to believe. So for a while his foes triumphed over 
him, and were filled with joy at their success. 

5. The despair of his disciples.— This was absolute. 
For three years all their hopes had centered on this 
prophet. They had seen his wonderful works, and heard 
his wonderful Avords, and they hoped that it had been he 
which should have redeemed Israel. Of course, they 
knew all about his birth and the angelic chorus on 
Bethlehem's plain. They knew about his baptism, and 
the voice from heaven, and the descent of the Spirit. 
And they fully accepted him as the Messiah. So they 
believed that he would triumph over all his foes, and sit 
on the throne of David in Jerusalem. When he spoke 



44 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

to them of his rejection and humiliation, they would not 
listen, and, indeed, once Peter rebuked him for talking in 
that way. Of his prediction that he would be crucified 
they took no notice, for they thought that the Son of 
Man never could die such a death. To the very last they 
expected a triumph and not a defeat, least of all, such a 
defeat. So when they saw him on the cross, and heard 
his last cry, and saw that he was dead, all their hopes 
perished. They felt that in some cruel way they had 
been deceived, and that he was not what they had 
thought him to be. That he would rise again from the 
dead never once crossed their minds, so they simply laid 
his body away in the tomb, and went away in despair. 
A gloomier company than that which met in Jerusalem 
on Saturday and Sunday morning the world has never 
seen. How they must have discussed it all, and wondered 
what it all meant. But in all their discussion, never once 
was it suggested that they should ever see him alive 
again, or we may be sure that they would have them- 
selves set a watch at that tomb. But not only did they 
not think it worth their while to do this, but they never 
went near the sepulcher in any way ; and when, on Sun- 
day morning, the women went to the grave to embalm 
the body, the apostles did not go with them. What was 
the use? He was dead, they were deceived, and the 
hopes that they had cherished for three years were vain. 



CHAPTER V 

THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY 

I find in a somewhat extensive experience with 
teachers, that most of them are satisfied if they have a 
" lesson help," giving comments and practical applica- 
tions of the lesson for each Sunday. Few of them seem 
to realize that they need more than this, to enable them 
to do their best work. True, a teacher can do fair work, 
if she studies only the lesson help that she has. But no 
teacher can do as good work as she should do, unless she 
has more than just the weekly exposition of the lesson. 
In these days there are so many books that are an aid in 
the understanding, not only of the Bible, but of the 
scholar whom we teach, that we ought to avail ourselves 
of some of these books, in order to do our work just as 
well as it is possible for us to do it. 

For, bear in mind, that your work is of the very highest 
importance. — You are teaching not with a view of giving 
your scholar information only. You are aiming at a 
higher end than that. If you have the right thought in 
mind, you are aiming at the developing of the character 
of the Master himself in the life of your scholar. Can 
there be any higher aim than this ? If an angel were 
asked, " What is the best thing that could be done for 
the sons of men ? " I think he would reply, " Make 
them to be like him who was perfect in word and deed." 

45 



46 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

But if this be your aim, then ought you not to try to 
reach that aim by every means in your power ? Surely 
a little expense and a little labor ought not to be 
grudged, in order to help you to reach this ideal stand- 
ard. If you will read what follows, you will see that it 
is not a great thing that I am suggesting to you. There 
are many teachers who, if they spent as much time and 
money on preparing themselves to teach as they spend 
on novels, would be much more successful than they now 
are. 

Of course I do not mean in the least in decry the 
spiritual preparation which every teacher should make. 
We must first try hard to be that which we want our 
scholars to be, or all our effort is vain. But if we do all 
that, it still remains true that we can do better work, 
and reap a larger harvest, if we try our very best to be 
fit for the office of teacher. Mere godliness is not 
enough to make a good teacher, and there be many 
godly teachers who fail, simply because they are not 
willing to make the effort and pay the amount needed to 
be better. 

Now in the first place let me ask you this question. 
" Have you gone through any of the Normal Courses 
that are prepared for teachers by so many of our State 
Sunday-school Associations ? " If you have not, then I 
would recommend you to begin in that way. Write to 
your State Secretary, and ask for the needful informa- 
tion along this line. Each of the well-organized States 
has such a course. In order that I may be as helpful to 
you as I can, let me say that the State of New York has 
such a course. It covers two years. You can go through 



THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY 47 

that course even if there be no Normal class in your 
School. The required work in that course is as follows : 

First Year : 

Outline Studies in the Old Testament. Price, $ .25. 

Sabbath School Methods, or a Primer 
on Teaching. " " 

Second Year: 

Outline Studies in the New Testament. " " 

From One to Twenty-one. " .10. 

Surely that is not an appalling array of books or prices 
to start with. If you can pass an examination on these 
books then the State of New York issues you a Certif- 
icate, or Diploma, stating that you have passed the ex- 
amination. Now if you want to know more about this 
two years' Normal Course, just sit down and write 
to Eev. G. L. Bice, 44 State Street, Albany, N. Y., 
and he will promptly let you know all that you need to 
know. 

Of course I know that not a few who read this advice 
will say, " Yes, I really think that I will write to Mr. 
Bice." Then they will postpone doing so, until at last 
they forget all about it, or else their enthusiasm dies 
out and they do nothing about the matter. On that ac- 
count my advice to you is this : " Do this immediately, 
if not sooner." 

One reason why we do not secure better attention 
from our scholars is because they are thinking along one 
line, while we are trying to reach them along a totally 
different line. We have no point of contact with them. 



48 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

You know how it is yourself, when you are deeply in- 
terested in something, and some one talks to you about 
some totally different matter. It is hard to listen at- 
tentively. If we were wiser, we should try hard to lead 
our scholars by the right way to that which we wish 
them to be interested in. Now if you will buy the book 
called, " Point of Contact," by Patterson Du Bois, 
(fifty-six cents), and study it carefully you will find 
yourself much helped in the right direction. It costs 
only fifty-six cents, and you can read it through in a 
couple of hours. Note, however, that I did not say, 
" Kead it in a couple of hours," but " Study it carefully." 
The principles that are found in that book must be 
meditated over, and then patiently put in practice. If 
at first you fail in this, try once more, and keep on 
trying until you attain some facility in doing what that 
book sets forth as the right thing. 

I emphasize this point, because too many teachers 
think that they can gallop through such a book as they 
do with a novel, and then carry out all that it says. 
When they find that this is not possible, then they jump 
to the conclusion that the book was not good. This is 
all wrong. Only practice makes perfect, and you must 
study and practice much, before you can hope to become 
an expert. Do you suppose that the writer of that book 
leaped at a bound to the knowledge that he has ? Surely 
not. He worked for it, and thought much over all that 
he says. Even so for you, there is no parlor-car route 
to expert work. You must work hard, or you will never 
attain. But attainment here is well worth the while, I 
can assure you. 



THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY 49 

Along an entirely different line, let me call your atten- 
tion to another little book, "The Child for Christ," 
by A. H. McKinney, Ph. D., who was for years the 
Superintendent of the New York State Sunday-school 
Association. Dr. McKinney has had large experience 
in Sunday-school work, as well as in church work, and 
what he says in this little book is well worth the study 
of every teacher in the land. Note some of the chapters 
in this volume, and see if they are not important themes 
on which to dwell. " Child Conversion, What is it ? " 
"Why Lead the Child to Christ," "Preparation for 
Leading the Child to Christ," " How to Bring the Child 
to Christ." At the close of the book (which costs only 
fifty cents), is a list of good books that the teacher may 
consult if she so desires. No one can read this book 
thoughtfully and not be better fitted to do work in her class. 

All the books mentioned so far, bear on the work of 
the teacher in her individual class. They will be found 
most helpful. But the teacher, to be well instructed for 
her work all along the line, should go a little further 
afield in her reading and study. Take for example the 
little book by Dr. McKinney called " The Bible School," 
price fifty cents, and there you will find all manner of 
Sunday school topics discussed by one who is truly an 
expert in these matters. Just read some of the titles of 
these interesting chapters, "The Model Bible School," 
" Abuse of Methods," " Aids in Teaching," " The Teacher 
Trained," and many others. Dr. McKinney was for 
thirteen years the superintendent of one of the most 
noted Sunday-schools in New York City. None better 
than he to guide workers to a high standard of attainment. 



50 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Another Sunday-school worker of international repu- 
tation is Marion Lawrance, now International Secretary, 
but for many years superintendent of a successful Sun- 
day-school in Toledo, Ohio. He has published a most 
excellent book entitled, " How to Conduct a Sunday- 
school." In it you will find every topic that applies to 
the average Sunday-school discussed in a most intelligent 
and practical manner. Mr. Lawrance speaks out of a 
rich experience, which is more than some modern peda- 
gogues do. See some of his topics. "That Big Boy, 
and How to Deal with Him," " The Sunday-school En- 
joying Itself," " Temperance Day and How to Use it," 
" Methods of Securing and Holding Members." Are 
not these vital themes, and is it not worth your while to 
know what the best workers in the land have to say 
about them ? (Price $1.25.) 

Amos R. Wells is another man of whom the Sunday- 
school world ought to be proud. He has written a book 
called " Sunday-school Success." In the preface he says : 
" In these pages I have described the methods of the 
most successful teachers and Sunday-schools I have 
known." That of itself should make the wide-awake 
teacher anxious to know what he has to say, for doubt- 
less much is to be learned from such a writer. The 
price of this book is $1.00. Another book by the same 
author is " Sunday-school Problems." Of the first 
chapter in this book Eev. R. W. Miller, D. D., says, 
" This chapter is worth more than the price of the book." 
(Price, $1.00.) 

If the teacher wants " The Old Testament Story," 
Vol. I, " The Patriarchal Age," Vol. II, « The Develop- 



THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY 51 

ment of the Nation," by Mary W. Brownson, it will be 
found to be a most valuable help in the teaching of the 
lesson for the year, for it is well told and most graphic. 
The price of these books is seventy-five cents each. In this 
general line let me mention still another book by that 
leader of thousands of teachers through his " Select 
Notes," Dr. F. N. Peloubet. It is called " The Front 
Line of the Sunday-school Movement." (Price, $1.00.) 
It is brimful of suggestions as to what the best Sunday- 
schools are doing — and of what you may introduce into 
your school with great advantage if you have not already 
done so. Not one of these books but will widen the 
horizon of the one who reads them, and make of such a 
one a better worker. You need not purchase them all, 
but some of them you should own, and devour as you do 
a most delicious morsel of food. 

And here may I make a suggestion ? — I find many 
teachers all over the land who are annoyed because their 
superintendent is such a " Stick-in-the-mud." How 
would it do for you to purchase any one of these volumes 
and present it to him on his birthday, or at Christmas ? 
Maybe it would arouse him to a larger conception of 
the work he has in hand. If you could add that you 
had been much profited by its perusal, it would help to 
recommend the book to him for careful studv. At all 
events, it would do no harm. 

Whenever we study any of the Gospels, we ought to 
have " The Interwoven Gospel " in our hands. This is 
the story of the four evangelists so put together that it 
forms one continuous story. The saving to the teacher 
who wants to have the complete story, both in time and 



52 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

patience, is very great. I would not be without this 
book for a great deal. No book that I know of can 
take its place. It costs only seventy-five cents, and is 
worth its weight in gold to the intelligent teacher. On 
each page you will find the complete narrative of the 
four Gospels, and in addition to this you will find what 
each of the Gospels has to say. Do get this book, and see 
if what has been said of it is in any way an exaggeration. 

And now finally. — Get a concordance. I cannot 
imagine how any teacher who wants to do the best 
work can get along without one. If you want to find 
any passage in the Word it is easily done by means of 
such a help. Cruden's Abridged Concordance is the 
best, and should not cost you more than $1.00. I have 
found in my teaching that if I can fortify what I say 
by some passage from God's Word, it tells. This can be 
done by a right use of the concordance, as it can be 
done in no other way that I know of. 

Should all these books seem to be out of your reach, 
on account of the price, is there any objection to your 
asking the "Powers that Be," to add them to your 
Sunday-school library ? Of course it is better to own 
them (or some of them) yourself. But if this is not pos- 
sible, the next best way is to have them within your 
reach in the library of your school. Altogether they 
will not cost $10, and they will be a help, not only to 
3 r ou, but to any teacher in your school who wishes to 
read them. 

Note. — If you want any of these books, write to the 
publishers of this book for them, and they will be sent 
at the prices named, plus the postage. 



CHAPTER VI 

ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 

Of all the Gospels that of St. John is the most diffi- 
cult, and on that account calls for more study than do 
the others. There is less of narrative and more of 
spiritual teaching in it than in any of the other Gospels. 

In all the work of the teacher, it is imperative that 
the teacher know more than just what is contained in 
the verses assigned for the lesson. On that account the 
teacher should aim to secure a somewhat comprehensive 
view of the whole book studied, before proceeding to the 
study of any particular portion. 

We, therefore, venture to present this wonderful 
Gospel to our readers in the light of a City of Truth. 
Taking the Gospel as a whole, we may well regard it in 
this light, and give a little play to our imagination. Of 
course every city has streets, and each street has a 
name. In each street there is also some one house that 
is of more importance than the others. Supposing, then, 
that we call each chapter of this Gospel a street and 
give it a name. Supposing further we pick out in each 
street the most important number (verse) and tell why 
we regard it as so important. In this way we shall get 
an idea of the richness of the Gospel, and at the same 
time have a better idea as to the main contents of the 
Gospel than most people have. 

The writer has tried this method in Bible classes 
that he has conducted and has found it to work well. 

53 



54 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Each scholar has been asked to bring in a plan, worked 
on the basis mentioned above, naming streets and 
assigning numbers, according to their best judgment. 
The result has been most satisfactory. Were each of 
our readers to stop right here and before reading any 
further to do this, and then compare it with what 
follows, it would be a good exercise to go through with. 
Indeed, if we were only sure that our readers would do 
this, we might stop right here. But as most of them will 
not, we give our own arrangement of the streets and 
numbers in this City of Truth. 

Witness Street. — Chapter 1. We give it this name, 
not because this is the only thing that is spoken of in 
the chapter, but because it is one of the important 
themes of which the Apostle John writes. In this chap- 
ter we have the story of the witness that John the 
Baptist gave to Jesus. Pick out the verses which set 
forth this witness, and you will see why this name is 
given to this street. But Andrew also bears witness, as 
does also Philip. If you ask for the most important 
number in this street we give No. 29 as that number, 
because in that the great character and work of our 
Lord is so clearly set forth. 

Wedding Street. — Chapter 2. The reason for this 
name is apparent. In no other chapter in this Gospel is 
a wedding spoken of. This is the first miracle that our 
blessed Lord wrought, and it made a great impression 
on his disciples. In this street the most important num- 
ber is No. 23, because many were led by the miracles of 
our Lord to believe in him. 

Eternal Life Street. — Chapter 3. We so name this 



ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 55 

street because in it is set forth, as perhaps in no other 
chapter in the whole Bible, the way of eternal life. Go 
through it carefully and you will find quite a number of 
verses which tell of the way of life. Of course in this 
street, by far the most important number is No. 16. 
This is the most wonderful sentence in the Bible, for it 
tells us of God's love for us, and of the way in which he 
showed that love in giving his Son for our salvation. If 
this were all that John had given us of the sayings of 
our Lord, we would never be able to repay him for it, 
for none of the other evangelists have given us this say- 
ing. Taking it all in all, this third of John is one of the 
richest chapters in all the New Testament. 

Well Street. — Chapter 4. Stop right here and tell 
yourself as much of the story of this chapter as you can. 
Then look over the story as given by the evangelist, and 
see how much you have omitted. To this Samaritan 
woman Jesus revealed much of eternal truth, and the 
way in which he led her from antagonism to him to ac- 
ceptance of him as the Messiah is most wonderful. To 
my mind the most important number in this street is 
No. 24, for here we find Jesus telling the woman who 
God is, and how we must worship him. Remember that 
at that time, in all the world, excepting among the Jews, 
men were worshiping idols of their own fashioning. 
Greece and Rome, to say nothing of Egypt and Asia in 
general, were all steeped in the grossest idolatry. In 
this verse Jesus sets aside all this idolatry and guides 
men to him who is the true God of us all. 

Bethesda Street. — Chapter 5. This chapter is taken 
up with the healing of the sick man at the Pool of 



56 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Bethesda, and the consequent opposition of the Jews to 
the Master because he had wrought this miracle on the 
Sabbath day. They thought that healing was equal to 
working, and that on this account it was not lawful to 
heal on the Sabbath day. I find it hard to pick out the 
most important number in this street. "Which one would 
you select ? Look the chapter over carefully and decide. 
Perhaps the most important number is No. 39, for in it 
we have good advice, which, if we follow, we shall know 
more of the Word of God than we now know. Very 
possibly some might say that No. 24 is more important, 
and to this it would be hard to make valid objection. 
At all events, in this way we find that every chapter has 
more than one very important verse. 

Bread Street. — Chapter 6. It is easy to tell why this 
name is selected, for in this chapter we have the miracle 
of the feeding of the five thousand. This is the only 
miracle wrought by our Lord which is told by all four 
of the evangelists. This miracle made a deep impres- 
sion on all who were present, and they wished to force 
Jesus to proclaim himself their king, for they thought 
that in that case he would feed them all for nothing. 
(See v. 15.) Our Lord wished no such outcome to his 
miracle, but he did wish to have them hunger for the 
Living Bread. All his effort, however, was vain, as may 
be seen from v. 66. In this street the most important 
number seems to me to be No. 35, for it tells of the way in 
which all spiritual hunger and thirst may be satisfied, 
and so far as the writer knows, this is the only way in 
which this can be done. 

Water Street. — Chapter 7. Why do we adopt this 



ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 57 

name ? Because in the controversy with the unbelieving 
Jews, Jesus made the great proclamation that we find in 
v. 37. This verse is the most important number in the 
chapter, and is one that we may well memorize. 

Liberty Street. — Chapter 8. In this chapter we are 
still in the midst of the bitter controversy between Jesus 
and the Jews. He tried to make them realize that they 
were the slaves of sin, and that not until they believed 
the truth as he taught it would they ever be free. They 
on the other hand boasted that they had never been in 
bondage. This was not true, for at that very moment 
they were in bondage to the Eomans w r ho ruled over 
them. What Jesus wished to make them see was that 
there is such a thing as spiritual slavery. This is true to 
this day, and the major part of the inhabitants of this 
world are still in just this kind of slavery. In this street 
the most important number is No. 36, for in it we find 
how we may be freed from the captivity by which Satan 
has bound us. The chapter is very rich in truth. 

Blind Man's Street.— Chapter 9. It is easy to see why 
this name is chosen. The whole story of the man born 
blind is most fascinating. Kead it carefully and see 
how the man was led into light of two kinds. Not only 
did he gain physical sight, but he gained spiritual sight 
as well. He was led step by step into the light of divine 
truth, and while the Pharisees remained in the darkness, 
he walked out into the light of a believer in Jesus, and 
ended by worshiping him. There are quite a number 
of important verses in this chapter. Which do you think 
is the most important ? It seems to me that perhaps 
No. 38 is the most important, for it tells of the outcome 



58 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

of the whole transaction, so far as the blind man himself 
is concerned. 

Shepherd Street.— Chapter 10. Of course there will 
be no dispute as to the right naming of this street. Jesus 
knew well the relation of the shepherd to his flock. 
Their great king, David, had sung about the Lord being 
his shepherd, and they knew what he had said about the 
Lord's care for him, and for all who were in his fold. 
Their three great Patriarchs had been shepherds, as well 
as their great king. Let the teacher here read Jer. 
50 : 6, 7 ; Ezek. 34 : 1-23 to get a good idea of the way in 
which God spoke of his people as his sheep, in the olden 
time. And in this street the most important number is 
No. 11, for here we find the Master's own saying as to 
his willingness to give his life for his own sheep. And 
here let me say that it would be most fitting for all who 
desire to do the best work at this kind of study, if they 
would treat these important numbers as Golden Texts 
and memorize them all. 

Lazarus Street. — Chapter 11. In my classes, spoken 
of above, nearly all the members used this name for this 
street. But one suggested that it might be called Friend- 
ship Street. That was not at all a bad suggestion. In 
this chapter we have the shortest verse in the Bible, and 
one of the sweetest. " Jesus wept." It is said of Jesus 
only twice that he wept. The other instance is where 
he wept over Jerusalem. Has it ever occurred to you 
that we never once read " Jesus laughed " ? Yet I can- 
not help thinking that he must have smiled when he took 
the little children in his arms, and it seems as though he 
must have smiled for joy often when he saw the bless- 



ST. JOHN — A CITY OP TRUTH 59 

ings that came to others through his healing power. In 
this chapter there are many important numbers. But it 
seems to me the most important is No. 25. How often 
has this utterance of our blessed Lord brought comfort 
to mourning ones by the side of the open grave ! Read 
there, it sounds like a voice from heaven itself, as indeed 
it is. 

Hosanna Street. — Chapter 12. This is the musical 
street of the whole Gospel. In the previous chapter we 
have sorrow and tears. In this we have popular rejoic- 
ing, and the shout of them that sang. The second chap- 
ter of Luke is another musical chapter, so also is Revela- 
tion 5 and Revelation 14. Alas ! that not all in Jerusa- 
lem felt as did the multitude. There were some there 
who were angry because the people sang the praises of 
the Master. Had you been there, on which side would 
you have been ? The number that is the most prominent 
on this street is 26, which sets forth the result of follow- 
ing the Lord Jesus as our master. 

Humility Street. — Chapter 13. In naming this street 
my classes, to which I have referred, differed much. 
The following are the names that were given to it by 
various members of the class : Judas Street, Traitor 
Street, Preparation Street, Prophecy Street, Washing 
Street. What do you think the best name would be ? 
It is easy to see why we have chosen the name that we 
have, because here we have the greatest example of hu- 
mility that the world has ever seen. Read carefully the 
first verse, you will see that St. John emphasizes the fact 
that Jesus was at that very moment conscious that his 
origin was heavenly, and that he was soon to return to 



60 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

his heavenly home, and that, in spite of this, he willingly 
became the servant of all, and took the menial place 
among the twelve. Here we have the sublime sight of 
the divine serving the human, and the sinless waiting on 
the sinful. The world had never seen such a manifesta- 
tion before. Kead in this connection Phil. 2 : 5-11. Of 
course our choice of the important number will be 
No. 1. 

Peace Street. — Chapter 14. We had almost called this 
Celestial Street, but on the whole settled down to Peace 
Street, on account of the 1st and the 23d verses. The 
peace that is spoken of in this chapter is all the more re- 
markable because our blessed Lord knew that on that 
same night he was to be betrayed into the hands of sin- 
ful men, and on the next day was to be " lifted up." 
Yet, in spite of this fact, his mind was in peace, and he 
could comfort his disciples and breathe into their hearts 
the spirit of lasting peace. In this street we select No. 2 
as the most important, since it is the verse that sets forth 
the everlasting mansions that the Master has prepared 
for all who love him. 

Vineyard Street. — Chapter 15. That this is the right 
name, there can be no question. Here, taking the figure 
of the vine and its branches, the Lord sets forth his rela- 
tion to all who believe in him. Here he sets forth the 
necessity of the believers abiding in him, if he is to bring 
forth the fruits of righteousness. Note the impressive 
words, " without me ye can do nothing." It is not, " ye 
can do little." No, it is " nothing." But if we abide in 
him and he in us, we bring forth much fruit, and in this 
way is God glorified. Of course in this case, as in that 



ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 61 

of other chapters that we have named, other things are 
also spoken of. But that which is peculiar to this chapter 
is the vine and branch teaching. Let the teacher read, 
as bearing on this matter of the vine, Isa. 5 : 1-7. If 
you want to be much profited go to No. 4 and take up 
your abode in that number for a while, and pray much 
that your residence there may be sanctified to you, and I 
am sure that you will not be disappointed. 

Spirit Street.— Chapter 16. In this case, too, my classes 
chose several different titles, such as Comfort Street, 
Warning Street, Promise Street. Of course there is 
room for difference of opinion here. But we have named 
it Spirit Street because so much is said in it about the 
ministry of the Holy Spirit. Look up vs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 
11, 13, 14, and you will see what we mean. In this 
chapter we are taught the truth that the Holy Spirit is 
not a mere " influence," impersonal, but that he is a per- 
son just as much as Jesus is a person. He has work to 
do for the believer and, as a matter of fact, we cannot 
possibly live the Christian life unless he abide in our 
hearts, and we can by no means understand the work of 
the Lord himself unless the Holy Spirit makes it clear to 
us. Young believers especially have much to learn about 
their dependence on the Holy Spirit for all that is im- 
portant in their lives. Yet, alas ! there are some to-day 
who call themselves Christians who might almost say 
with the men of Ephesus, " We have not so much as 
heard whether there be any Holy Ghost " (Acts 19 : 2). 
On this account it is that so many are weak in their 
Christian lives. Take No. 13 as the important number 
in this street and you will not be far wrong. 



62 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Prayer Street. — Chapter 17. This contains the wonder- 
ful prayer of our Lord, which is sometimes called his 
" Mediatorial Prayer." It is so called because in it we 
find him praying, not for himself, but for others. He 
prays specifically for the men who were with him in that 
upper chamber. But he prays not for them only. In 
v. 24 he broadens^ out his prayer and takes in all 
those who believe in him through the testimony of the 
apostles. This sweeps us in, and makes us participants 
in his petition. You and I are there, for have we not be- 
lieved on account of the testimony of the Gospels which 
the apostles wrote ? Now one of the things for which 
Jesus prays in this wonderful chapter is this ; that all his 
followers may be united in one, through their union with 
God and him. On that account we choose No. 21 as the 
most choice number on this street. 

Betrayal Street. — Chapter 18. In this chapter we have 
two betrayals. The one by Judas and the other by 
Peter, for as a matter of fact Peter did betray his 
Master and deny him before men. This is a most solemn 
part of the experience of the Master, and it shows how 
deep the human heart can sink in the mire of sin. Judas, 
Peter, high priest, and council all combine here to put 
the best man that ever lived to shame. A bitter com- 
ment on the sinfulness of the human heart is this story, 
and one that is fitted to make angels weep for shame. 
" Away w r ith him," is the cry, and yet he was the one of 
all others who had blessed them and who was willing to 
bless them still more abundantly. I think that the most 
important number in this street is No. 37, for in it the 
Master tells us the nature of his kingdom, which is one 



ST. JOHN — A CITY OF TRUTH 63 

of truth, and tells us that all who are seekers after truth 
will hear his voice. 

Calvary Street. — Chapter 19. Of course all will agree 
as to the naming of this street. It would be well for the 
teacher to be well acquainted with all that went on in 
this street, for it is the most important of all the streets 
of this City of Truth. Here we mark No. 18 as the most 
important number, for it records the crucifixion of the 
Eedeemer of the world. 

Resurrection Street. — Chapter 20. Here, too, there 
will be no difference of opinion as to the right name to 
be used. If it were not for the resurrection, all that had 
preceded in the story of Jesus Christ would be vain, for 
we should have not a living and victorious Saviour but 
only a dead Jesus. Our condition, then, would be that 
of the two as they walked to Emmaus, who said, " We 
had hoped," intimating that now they were without hope 
since their Master was dead. Shall we choose No. 19 as 
the most significant number in this street ? If we do we 
shall not be wrong. 

Peter Street. — Chapter 21. Here there is room for 
much difference of opinion as to the name of the street. 
Some in my classes called it Fishing Street, others Fare- 
well Street or Love Street. "We have chosen the name 
given above because Peter comes into view so promi- 
nently. In this interview between the Lord and Peter, 
we have the restoration of him who so vehemently 
denied his Lord. Here the best number is No. 17, and 
from it we all in these later days may learn what is our 
duty in our service for the blessed Lord. 

In looking over these chapters, as we have now briefly 



64 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

done, has it struck you how large a part of the narrative 
has been devoted to the last seven days of our Lord's 
life ? Chaps. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, are all given 
to the events of those seven days, while all the rest of 
the Gospel covers three years and a half. Why is this 
the case ? Because those seven days were by far the most 
important in the life of our Lord. All of the evangelists 
seem to have felt this, for all of them have given especial 
emphasis to these days. Take up Matthew, and you will 
see that he gives chaps. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, to 
this part of our Master's life. Mark devotes chaps. 11, 
12, 13, 14, 15, and a part of 16 to these same days. Luke 
gives a part of chap. 19, from v. 28 on, and chaps. 20, 21, 
22, 23, 24, to the story. All this proves what we have 
said, namely, that the evangelists looked upon the events 
of this week as of the highest importance, and on that 
account have such full narrative of the events of that last 
week. 

Postscript. — If you desire, you can do the same thing 
as that which we have done above with each of the other 
Gospels. 



CHAPTER VII 

ACTS — BY STREETS 

In the last chapter we gave a kind of outline of the 
Gospel of St. John, looked at as a City of Truth, and we 
named the streets of that city, and gave the most im- 
portant number (verse) in each street. We now take up 
the book of Acts, which is one of the most important in 
the New Testament, and will once more adopt this 
method of giving a bird's-eye view of this book. To each 
chapter we will give a name, as though it were a street 
in this City of Truth, and in each chapter will indicate a 
number, as that of the most important verse in that 
street. Of course we give only our own judgment in 
this way, and leave it for the teacher to study the book 
for himself, to see whether his judgment accords with 
ours or whether he finds some reason for a change in 
name of street or number. 

Ascension Street. — So called because in this chapter 
we have a fuller account of our blessed Lord's ascension 
than in any other chapter in the Bible. From this 
chapter we learn what became of our Lord when his 
work on earth was completed. We know that we have 
not only a risen Lord, but one who has ascended on 
high, where he now is. The most important number in 
this street is difficult to determine. Perhaps it is 
No. 8, for that contains the wonderful promise of 
power that was to be given to the disciples. But some 

65 



66 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

may prefer No. 11, since that foretells the return 
of our Lord in glory. Which do you think is the most 
important number in this street ? 

Power Street. — Here we have the record of the giving 
of that spiritual power to the disciples that they so 
much needed. To them was given the command to 
begin the conquest of the world for Christ. Yet they 
had neither wealth, nor position, nor education, nor in- 
fluence. Most of them were " ignorant and unlearned 
men." The promise of Acts 1 : 8 is in this chapter ful- 
filled, so that in one day Peter won more converts than 
Jesus had won in his three and a half years of ministry. 
Surely all then will agree that this is the right name for 
this street. The most important truth in this street 
dwells at No. 4, for here we are given the source 
of that power which was so irresistible. No mere 
human power was that which won three thousand souls 
for the Master in one day. 

Cripple Street. — Peter's sermon that day was based on 
the miracle of the healing of the cripple at the Beautiful 
Gate of the Temple. This is why we call this Cripple 
Street. In consequence of this miracle and sermon, 
many believed, and were saved. The most important 
number is in our judgment No. 19, for there we find 
laid down the way of salvation. 

Warning Street. — We give it this name because in it 
we find the first warning given to the disciples by the 
ecclesiastical party that they should not teach in the name 
of Jesus. These ecclesiastics had hoped that with the 
crucifixion of Jesus his influence would cease, and they 
would be left in peace. But in this they found that they 



ACTS — BY STREETS 67 

were much mistaken. Indeed, the teachings of Jesus 
were now more widely received than they had been 
during his lifetime; This alarmed the priests and the 
members of the Sanhedrim, and they made up their 
minds that they must do something to stop the propaga- 
tion of this doctrine. No. 19 is here the most important 
number, for it sets forth the conviction of the apostles 
that they must obey God at all hazards. They declared 
in the face of their persecutors that they would not cease 
to declare that which they had seen and heard, come 
what might. This was the true ground of their success, 
that they feared God more than man. 

Liar Street. — This is an evil name for a street, is it 
not? We give it this name on account of the story of 
Ananias and his wife Sapphira. It contains the story of 
their greed and untruthfulness, and is a most solemn 
warning against all telling of that which is not true. It 
is worth our while at this juncture to pause and ask our- 
selves the question, " If God were to strike all dead to- 
day who indulge in lies, how many people would be left 
alive in this world ? " Would you be one of these, or 
would you suffer the fate of Ananias and his wife ? 

I know that there are other important truths in this 
chapter, but this one has been selected to give the name 
of this street on account of its solemn import. Perhaps 
the best number here is No. 4, for this sets forth the 
truth that all lies are offenses against God, and not 
merely against man. 

Stephen Street. — Here we are first introduced to 
Stephen, who was also the first Christian martyr. His 
character is given to us in a few words. See them : " A 



68 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost." Of course 
then he was also " full of power." This is a record 
which any man might well covet. Would this be your 
record, if your biography were written ? "What would 
you select as the most important number of this street? 
I take No. 8, as that sets forth the fact that the 
inner life of a man will inevitably govern his outer life. 
Stephen was full of faith and of spiritual power, and on 
that account did many blessed deeds. So it always will 
be. He who lives the inner life aright, will also live the 
outer life in the most blessed activity. 

Martyr Street. — The major part of this chapter is taken 
up with the speech of Stephen before the council. The 
result of that address was that his enemies were filled 
with bitter rage. With one accord they broke up the 
meeting, and rushed him out of the city. They then 
proceeded to kill him on the spot. In this way he be- 
came the first Christian martyr, and his name has come 
down the centuries as that of the one who first sealed 
his confession of Christ with his blood. No. 60 is 
the most important one in this chapter, as it shows that 
the spirit of Jesus himself permeated his disciple. The 
prayer of the Master at his crucifixion was echoed by 
Stephen with his last breath. 

Philip Street. — This is so called on account of the 
story of Philip and the Ethiopian, who, under Philip's 
guidance, found the truth and was baptized. I know 
that not all of this chapter is devoted to this story, but 
enough of it deals with the work of Philip the evangel- 
ist to give it this name by good right. No. 4 is the 
important number, for this tells how the truth was 



ACTS — BY STKEETS 69 

spread. The persecuted disciples did not run from 
Jerusalem, holding their peace. This they might have 
done had they merely regarded their own safety. No, 
they went everywhere proclaiming the truth of a cruci- 
fied and risen Saviour. This was most grand. If only 
believers in modern days would follow their example, 
the truth would spread much faster than it does. Be- 
lievers in these days are far more given to silence about 
religious matters than they are to speech. This is most 
unfortunate. 

Conversion Street. — Chapter 9 tells of the conversion 
of the great persecutor, Saul of Tarsus. In the history 
of the early church this was the most important event, 
next to the experience on the Day of Pentecost. For 
Saul was making havoc of the church and all believers 
were afraid of him. When he was converted, and be- 
came an advocate of the truth, we read, " Then had the 
churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and 
Samaria." It is hard to choose the most important 
number in this street, because there is more than one 
very significant verse. But on the whole we take No. 6 
as the most important, as it records the change in the 
attitude of Saul toward Jesus. One moment he is fierce 
against him, and the next he asks in submission, "Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do ? " This shows the vast 
change that came over the persecutor in an instant, 
when Jesus appeared to him in the way. 

Vision Street. — Now we have to do with Peter, and 
his vision in Joppa. This is a most important event in 
the history of the church. Hitherto the apostles had no 
idea that any Gentile could be a believer unless he first. 



70 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

became a Jew, and submitted to Jewish ritual. In this 
chapter we have the story of how God told Peter that 
Jew and Gentile were now on the same footing in the 
kingdom of God, and that faith in Jesus, and not any 
form or ceremony, was the condition of membership in 
the church. No. 44 is the most important, for in 
this verse we are told that the Holy Spirit endorsed the 
teaching of Peter, and came upon the Gentiles whom 
Cornelius had invited to his house to hear the word 
spoken by the apostle. From that moment on, Gentiles 
could be numbered among the members of the church on 
condition of their accepting Jesus as their Saviour. 

Broad Street. — In Vision Street we saw how God re- 
vealed to Peter the truth that Gentiles might be ad- 
mitted to the church without first becoming Jews. But 
the church at large had not yet received this broad truth. 
In this chapter we read how the church was led into this 
wider truth. The events recorded in this chapter were 
of the highest importance, not only to the church of that 
day, but to the church of all time. If the events of these 
two chapters had never occurred, we in this day would 
still have to become Jews before we could belong to the 
church of God on earth. 'No. 18 is here the important 
number, as it records the fact that the church accepted 
the revelation, and was willing to act on it. 

Prison Street. — From Broad Street to Prison Street is 
a short step, and Peter took it in short order. As yet 
Peter was the leader of the apostles. (Later on Paul 
took this place.) Now we find him in prison, while all 
the disciples are in despair. Through God's power, 
Peter is delivered, and the hearts of the believers are 



ACTS — BY STREETS 71 

made glad. In this street the important number is No. 7, 
for here we are given the superhuman character of the 
deliverance of the apostle. 

Mission Street — Up to the time of the events in this 
chapter, while there was much missionary work done by 
believers in general, there had been no organized work 
done by the church as a body. In this chapter we have 
the story of how the Holy Spirit led the church in 
Antioch to begin organized work for unbelievers. They 
appointed Barnabas and Saul to be their missionaries, 
and sent them forth with their best wishes and prayers. 
This chapter then in reality records the beginning of 
that missionary work which to this day is the duty and 
the glory of the church of Jesus Christ. No. 2 is the 
important number in this chapter, for it tells of how the 
missionary work was begun, and shows that it had a 
divine origin. 

Stoning Street. — We call tkis street by this name be- 
cause the most striking episode was the stoning of Paul 
in Lystra. In this town the apostle and his companion 
Barnabas had a most extraordinary experience. First 
they were mistaken for gods, and the people wanted to 
sacrifice to them. Then they were taken for miscreants, 
and poor Paul almost paid with his life for his fidelity 
to the truth. In this chapter perhaps we should select 
No. 23 as the most important, as here we learn that in 
all the churches that they founded, the apostles at once 
ordained elders, so that all things might be done decently 
and in order. 

Gentile Street. — Why do we give this street this 
name ? Because here we find the story of the great 



72 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

debate in the church at Jerusalem, as to the admission of 
the Gentiles to the church of God. As this question was 
then settled for all time, and in the right way, we need 
not dwell on it any further. The most important number 
is No. 11, which records the willingness of the Mother 
Church to receive Gentiles merely on their faith in Jesus 
as their Saviour. 

Women Street. — I had thought of calling this Europe 
Street, as in this chapter we have the account of the 
crossing of the Gospel from Asia to Europe. But on the 
w T hole it seemed wise to call it Women Street, as here 
we have the account of the blessing of two women by 
the Gospel of our blessed Lord. All religions save that 
of the Nazarene degrade woman. In no land except 
Christian lands is woman in the position in which God 
meant her to be. So in this chapter in which we have 
the story of the Pythoness and of Lydia, we have a kind 
of prophecy of the way in which women are blessed by 
the Gospel of the grace of God. The most important 
number here is No. 31, in which we have the way of sal- 
vation given us in one sentence. 

Athens Street.— It is easy to see why this name is 
selected. The major part of this chapter is given to the 
experience of Paul in Athens. It was not a very en- 
couraging experience, for while Paul was not persecuted 
in that city, he also left no church there, as he did in so 
many other cities. My impression as to the reason w 7 hy 
the Athenians did not persecute the apostle is that they 
cared so little for religion anyway that they did not 
think it worth the while to do anything but scoff. If 
this be so, it is easy to see why no church was founded 



ACTS — BY STREETS 73 

there. The important verse is No. 31, where we find 
the apostle speaking of the resurrection of Jesus, and 
of the coming judgment. 

Corinth Street. — It is not hard to see why we give this 
name to this street. In Corinth, Paul stayed for 
eighteen months. Here, too, he was persecuted, but 
here he left a powerful church, to which he wrote two 
wonderful epistles later on. Here the Gospel was 
preached to the Gentiles, as the Jews scornfully rejected 
it. No. 9 is most important, for it records God's promise 
of protection to his servant, and the assurance of much 
fruitage as his reward. 

Diana Street. — We are in Ephesus, in this chapter. In 
that city was one of the seven wonders of the world, 
namely, the Temple of Diana. Here Paul stayed for 
three whole years, and was incessantly active all the time. 
Here, two, the Word was much blessed, so that multi- 
tudes turned to the Lord. But here, too, Paul met with 
much opposition. During his stay it was that the great 
riot took place, in which the Ephesians screamed for 
two hours, " Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Here, 
too, the great bonfire took place in which they burned 
about $50,000 worth of books of divination, as a testi- 
mony that they had abandoned all their curious and 
superstitious arts. No. 19 is most important, as it 
records the story of this bonfire, which bore witness to 
the genuineness of the work of the Spirit. 

Farewell Street. — That which characterizes this chapter 
as unique is the touching farewell of the apostle to the 
believers in Ephesus. For three years he had wrought 
among them with wonderful fidelity, and now that he 



74 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

knew he never should see them again, his words are 
most tender. The manner of his work may be seen 
from v. 20, and in acting as he did the apostle set a good 
example to all Sunday-school teachers, and to all preach- 
ers the world over. Not only in public, but from house 
to house he taught, as he found opportunity. Look at 
No. 32 and see if you do not agree with me that this is 
the most important number in the street. In it you find 
the source of all our spiritual power, namely, the Word 
of God. He who thinks he will ever grow strong while 
at the same time he neglects the Word, will find himself 
woefully mistaken. 

Mob Street. — This is a chapter of violence. Here we 
see Paul almost killed, and that by his own country- 
men. Had it not been for the Romans, Paul would 
never have left the temple area alive. In this street the 
best number is No. 13, for in it we see portrayed the 
indomitable spirit that animated this man. He counted 
not his life dear to himself so long as he was in the way 
of duty. Is that your spirit ? 

Defense Street.— Here we have the apostle defending 
himself and his actions before his fellow countrymen. 
He spoke from a stairway, surrounded by Roman 
soldiers. When he began to speak there was a great 
silence, but before he closed there was a vast tumult. 
Perhaps No. 22 is the most important one, for in it we 
see the vindictive nature of sin, as it rules men's hearts, 
and leads them to pay no attention to the truth, but to 
insist on their own selfish way, even to the taking of 
human life if that be possible. 

Rescue Street. — Forty men had banded themselves 



ACTS — BY STEEETS 75 

together in an oath not to eat or drink until they had 
assassinated Paul. In this chapter we are told how Paul 
was rescued from this band of assassins. It is a most 
interesting narrative/ and repays careful study. As 
setting forth one of the very many experiences of Paul's 
life, No. 10 may be takfen as important. Here we see 
the terrible excitement in which the council broke up, and 
the great danger in which Paul was for a few moments. 

Felix Street and Festus Street. — These streets run 
parallel to each other. The reason why they are thus 
named is apparent. In the first street No. 16 is to be 
noted, for a reason easily apprehended, and in the second 
street No. 10, since in that verse we have the reason why 
Paul was sent to Rome. 

Agrippa Street. — So called on account of the appear- 
ance of Paul before King Agrippa. Here perhaps the 
most prominent number would be No. 29, where we 
find Paul expressing his desire for the king and for all 
who were listening to him. It was a most sweet Chris- 
tian wish, and one that all Christians should cherish for 
those who are not followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Shipwreck Street. — This is a most dramatic chapter, 
and the whole story of the shipwreck is told in masterly 
style. All will agree that the proper name is given to 
this chapter. The most important verse is No. 24, 
for in it we have once more God's message of comfort to 
his servant. 

Malta Street. — Here again we see Paul taken once for 
a murderer and once for a god. Here the most important 
number is No. 31, which sets forth in one sentence the 
manner of the apostle's whole life and activity. 



CHAPTER VIII 

MISSIONAKY INSTRUCTION IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 
By Rev. George H. Trull 

" If you wish to introduce any idea into a nation's life 
you must put it in the schools.'' Von Humboldt, the 
great German statesman, never uttered truer words than 
these. It is quite as true that whatever ideas need to be 
implanted in the church's life should be taught in the 
Sunday-schools. A great field of opportunity has 
hitherto been largely neglected, the children have not 
been thoroughly instructed in missions in the Sunday- 
school, and the result has been an apathetic church. 
Many adults show little interest in missionary work be- 
cause of lack of knowledge, and, in consequence, the 
heathen languish. We need, therefore, to awake at once 
to the unrealized possibilities of missionary instruction 
in the Sunday-school. Within a generation there may 
be a church whose intelligence about missions and zeal 
for them has never been equaled in the world's history. 
In the hands of the Sunday-school superintendents and 
teachers of to-day lies the real solution of the missionary 
problem,. If the church exists to-day to carry out the 
principles instituted by her founder, then those principles 
must be taught in the Sunday-school. 

AIMS.— What really are our aims ? What satisfies 
us? Are we content with numbers, a large attendance, 

76 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 77 

the memorizing and repeating of Scripture, the Creed, 
and the Catechism, the recitation of the lesson of the 
day ? All this is assuredly excellent ; but is it sufficient ? 
Unless a scholar is led to know Christ intimately, and 
unless Christianity is made so real and vital that he will 
think it worth while to pass it on, then we are failing of 
our highest possibilities. 

FOUR FACTS TO PONDER.— First Fact.— There 
are very few Sunday-schools to-day which have any 
adequate or systematic course of missionary instruction. 
Observe, I do not say that they have no missionary in- 
formation given them, or that they make no offering to 
missionary causes, but that comparatively few have 
adequate courses of missionary instruction. 

Second Fact.— The need of the heathen world is to- 
day very great. Eight hundred million people are still 
in ignorance of Jesus Christ. Men may say all they like 
about the heathen religions being good enough for the 
heathen, and that they should not be disturbed. To 
such I would commend a brief article by Mr. Robert E. 
Speer, costing but two cents, and entitled: "The Non- 
Christian Eeligions Inadequate to Meet the Needs of 
Men." (Order from "Daily Bible," 541 Lexington 
Avenue, New York.) 

Third Fact. — The church's obligation to give the Gos- 
pel to the heathen world. We cannot escape Christ's 
command : " Go ye into all the world, and preach the 
Gospel to the whole creation." 

Fourth Fact. — If this is the church's duty to-day, then 
it is no less the Sunday-school's ; for the Sunday-school 
is an integral part of the church, not an independent 



78 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

organization. " It is the church in its Bible teaching 
and studying service," says Marion Lawrance. 

With these facts in mind let us clear away, if possible, 
the objections against mission study in the Sunday- 
school ; then consider the reasons for such study, and 
follow with some methods how. 



I. Objections Against 

First objection. — The Bible should be the sole text-booh 
of the Sunday-school, and nothing else should be intro- 
duced. But missionary study does not displace the 
Bible ; it simply emphasizes one of its most important 
teachings, and illustrates it with striking facts. Says 
Dr. Forbush in a recent article : " Missions are not a 
substitute for, but an extension of the Bible. The Bible 
is chiefly a book of biography, and missions are an ex- 
tension of Bible biography. They are the continuation 
of the book of Acts. ' I never knew the Bible until I 
knew Judson,' said one." While the Bible must always 
be the text-book of the Sunday-school, yet for the better 
grasping of its truths and teaching we must have other 
text-books and manuals which will present its history, 
geography, doctrines, etc., in systematic form, to be easily 
grasped by our young people. Mission study should in 
no wise displace the regular Bible lesson of the day, but 
should be made supplemental thereto. 

Second objection. — The brevity of the Sunday-school 
session, and the seeming impossibility of crowding any- 
thing more into it. But just here system will accomplish 
a great deal. If the session is one hour long, ten minutes 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 79 

can be devoted to the opening exercises ; ten to closing, 
thirty to the lesson, and ten will still be left for what- 
ever supplemental work may be desired, and missionary 
instruction can come in here. If the session is one hour 
and a quarter long, so much the better : fifteen minutes 
for opening, fifteen for closing, thirty for lesson, and 
fifteen for missionary instruction. 

Third objection. — No suitable material for use. This 
objection is also being met. If the material already 
available is not adaptable for use in your school, then 
have your own missionary committee prepare suitable 
material. This is not an impossibility, for it has been 
done, and could be done again. Examine what is already 
obtainable, and see if you cannot make at least tempo- 
rary use of it. The Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, 
United Presbyterians, and the Young People's Mission- 
ary Movement all have courses or programs for use in 
Sunday-schools. 

II. Eeasons For 

First reason. — Because the inadequacy of former 
methods is responsible in large measure for much of the 
present apathy in the church, in which eighty-seven per 
cent, of the membership comes from the Sunday-school. 
This being true, it is easy to see that the Sunday-school 
in the past has failed in its duty of providing missionary 
instruction, and is responsible in large measure that so 
many men and women to-day have no interest in the 
missionary cause. 

Second reason. — The crying need is for education, and 
the Sunday-school is the natural and logical place for in- 



80 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

struction, being the recognized educational institution of 
the church. 

Third reason. — Because scholars in the Sunday-school 
are in the most impressionable period of life. It is the 
formative period, and if they are ever to be interested in 
missions, then is the time to begin. 

Fourth reason. — Because of the large numbers enrolled 
in the Sunday-school, fourteen million in North America 
alone. While mission bands for boys and girls do excel- 
lent work, yet their membership is not a tithe of those in 
the Sunday-schools. The time, therefore, to give mis- 
sionary instruction is when we have the children, and 
that is at the Sunday-school hour. 

Fifth reason.— Because in the interpretation of current 
events mission study will give Sunday-school scholars a 
new and proper perspective. If a boy reads in the daily 
papers of China sending an embassy abroad to study 
Western ideas, or of the English Expedition to Thibet, 
or of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, he will learn to re- 
gard these things not merely in their political aspect, but 
in their relation to the progress of the kingdom of God. 
But let us now turn to methods. 

III. Methods How 
i. Missionary programs and exercises in which a few 
members of the school take part. " The Twenty Chris- 
tian Centuries," by Dr. Paull, is commended. It can be 
obtained at 501 Witherspoon Building, Philadelphia. 
Also "Missionary Exercises for the Sunday-school," 
published by the Young People's Missionary Movement, 
156 Fifth Avenue. 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 81 

The chief disadvantage of this method is that it reaches 
vitally comparatively few — only those who take part in 
the exercises — and the other members of the school are 
simply spectators. 

2. The missionary incident plan illustrative of the 
regular International Lesson. These incidents can be 
given by the teachers in their classes. Good material is 
found in the Baptist Missionary Magazine for senior 
scholars, and Around the World for junior scholars. 
The former costs $1.00 a year, and the latter 25 cents, 
and both can be ordered from the Baptist Board, Tre- 
mont Temple, Boston. The incidents are largely de- 
nominational, but many of them can be used by any 
school. 

3. Another way of using the missionary incident plan 
is to have the illustration given from the desk rather 
than in the classes. Some schools find it profitable to 
devote five minutes every Sunday to the giving of a mis- 
sionary incident from the desk which may or may not 
illustrate the lesson of the day. 

The disadvantage of these two methods is that while 
all may profit more or less by the incident, as it is told 
them, the effort of presenting the material has been done 
by others than the scholars. 

4. The leaflet plan which aims to give systematic in- 
struction in leaflet form. This has a distinct advantage 
over the other plans mentioned, in that each scholar can 
take home with him the leaflet, and personal effort on his 
part is required. The Episcopal, United Presbyterian, 
Baptist, and Presbyterian Churches all publish such 
leaflets. The chief disadvantages of this method are that 



82 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the leaflet is usually lost or little regard is given it. 
Something in a more permanent form seems necessary. 

5. The text-book plan, 1 therefore, has the value of 
permanence, and incorporates the other good features of 
the leaflet plan. These are as follows : 

(a) Home work on the part of the pupil. If any last- 
ing impression is to be made on the scholar's mind, there 
must be some effort put forth on his part. This the 
leaflet or text-book makes possible. 

(h) Class work on Missionary Sunday then follows 
the home preparation. In schools that have supple- 
mental work, the mission study should be taken as the 
supplemental lesson for the day, devoting to it ten or 
fifteen minutes. The class work should consist not in 
mere recitation of facts in the text-book, but there should 
be enthusiastic discussion led by a well-informed teacher. 
He must have new and attractive information to present 
from a wider range of reading. 

(c) Platform work.— In addition to home work and 
class discussion, there should also be public exercises 
from the desk on Missionary Sunday. All of the 
hymns, the Scripture, and the prayers should be mis- 

1 Two series of text-books, the second in both Junior and Senior Grades, 
have been issued by the Missionary Committee of the Fifth Avenue Pres- 
byterian Church, New York, and used in their own school. Single copies 
postpaid, first series, fifteen cents; second series, Junior Grade, twelve 
cents ; Senior Grade, fourteen cents ; to be obtained from Foreign Mis- 
sions Library, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Cheaper in quantities. 
The committee plans to issue a third series in both Junior and Senior 
Grades, covering four Home Mission topics, and six on India. If a suffi- 
cient number of schools will use the studies, the books can be issued at 
five cents per copy. 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 83 

sionary in character. If the missionary under discus- 
sion had a favorite hymn, let the school sing it. If any 
passage of Scripture is connected with any particular in- 
cident in his life, read it. For example, the 121st and 
135th Psalms used by Livingstone at family worship the 
day he left home for Africa. The session should close 
with a few pointed remarks by some qualified speaker 
and an earnest prayer or stirring hymn. 



Accessories 

Certain accessories are found very valuable in connec- 
tion with the missionary study above indicated. 

i. Pictures and small maps in the class will be found 
of great value. The Orient pictures, published by the 
Baptist Board of Boston, illustrate work in most of the 
missionary fields. On the map the geographical location 
of mission stations or a missionary's travels can be lo- 
cated. 

2. The stereopticon will afford much pleasure and 
profit to the school after a course on any country. Such 
a lecture given some night during the week, to which 
the parents as well as the children are invited, will prove 
a great attraction. 

3. Prayer should, of course, be constant in connection 
with mission study. One of the classes may be entrusted 
with the responsibility of presenting topics for prayer, 
suggested by the mission study of the day. These sub- 
jects can be prayed for in the school, and, in addition, a 
certain topic can be remembered by all in their petitions 
throughout the week. Cycles of prayer can be obtained 



84: SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

from the denominational boards. An excellent one for 
the year is published by the Student Volunteer Move- 
ment, and can be purchased for three cents, at 3 West 
29th Street, New York City. 

4. Benevolence. — The scholars should be taught that 
they can have an immediate share in the great cause of 
missions. Their prayers should be accompanied by their 
gifts, and these gifts should be thank-offerings, and rep- 
resent some sacrifice. It will arouse interest in the 
school to ask all to keep a record of how they spend 
their money for one week, reporting to the superintend- 
ent the following Sunday. These reports will serve as a 
basis for a spirited talk as to how much we spend for 
missions, compared with other expenditures. An excel- 
lent chart to use in connection with this is one of the 
series published by the Young People's Missionary Move- 
ment, entitled : " How Americans Spend Their Monej 7 ." 

The American Baptist Missionary Union has an excel- 
lent scheme to show where the money goes. It is called 
" The Missionary Dollar." The dollar is divided into 
ten dimes, and a statement is given as to how each dime 
helps some different branch of work : For example, 
Dime No. 1 helps to send out new missionaries, and a 
picture of the recent appointees to the field is given. 
Dime No. 2 goes to pay the missionary's salary ; Dime 
No. 3 aids the work of education ; Dime No. 4 helps the 
hospitals and medical work ; Dime No. 5, the work 
among women and children, and so on. Each scholar 
collecting $1.00 is given a beautifully illustrated booklet, 
describing the work of each dime. 

5. Charts and maps. — A large missionary map of the 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 85 

world should always be displayed on Missionary Sunday, 
and charts of various kinds are also valuable, giving mis- 
sionary statistics and showing the world's need. The 
Young People's Missionary Movement publishes an ex- 
cellent series of these. One can also make his own 
charts, which will give large opportunity for personal 
investigation and originality. Epigrammatic sajdngs of 
great missionaries can be used to excellent advantage. 
Here are some examples: " The end of the geograph- 
ical feat is only the beginning of the enterprise " (Living- 
stone). " I place no value on anything I have or may 
possess except in its relation to the kingdom of Jesus 
Christ " (Livingstone). " Prayer and pains through faith 
in Jesus Christ will do anything " (John Eliot). "Am I 
not here, the link between dying men and the dying 
Christ ? " (Mackay). 

6. The bulletin board is a very valuable adjunct to 
give the latest missionary information gleaned from cur- 
rent newspapers and magazines. The Missionary Re- 
view of the World and The Record of Christian Work 
will furnish much valuable material. The board should 
be put in some conspicuous place. To a class of older 
scholars can well be entrusted the duty of gathering 
items, which should be changed weekly. 

7. The Missionary Library. — In order to follow up the 
work of Missionary Sunday, there should be a good 
library from which the scholars can procure interesting 
books. The text-books and exercises on Missionary Day 
are simply to be a starting-point for further reading and 
investigation. Excellent libraries, at greatly reduced 
rates, can be obtained from the Young People's Mis- 



86 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

sionary Movement and the Student Volunteer Move- 
ment. The " Little Cousin " series for younger children 
is also valuable. It is not enough to stock the shelves 
with good books, but they must be read. In order to do 
this, let a member of the Missionary Committee tell an 
interesting incident from some new missionary book that 
will whet the appetite. Immediate calls for the book 
will be the result. 

8. Souvenirs are used in some schools, and highly 
prized. An ingenious leader will find here a rich field 
of opportunity. For example, if Africa is being studied, 
the program for the day could be placed on a card cut 
in the shape of the Dark Continent. Its cover could be 
all black ; its only white spots being the mission stations. 
Inside the regular program could be written. 

If William Carey were the topic, a gilt card cut to 
represent a gold nugget might be given to the scholars 
with Carey's dates, and some information attached ; the 
idea being that Carey went to India as into a mine, not 
for gold, but for souls, which were as precious as 
nuggets. 

If Paton were studied, a picture of a well could be 
drawn on a card, the digging of which well, Paton 
states, broke the backbone of heathenism in Aniwa. 

9. A missionary museum or cabinet, in which curios 
should be collected, will prove of permanent value 
and interest. If any persons of the congregation travel 
abroad or visit the mission fields, they can be asked to 
bring home some curios. Articles can also be obtained 
directly from missionaries or by purchase. 

10. Correspondence with missionaries is also a means 



MISSIONARY INSTRUCTION 87 

of promoting missionary interest. While many mis- 
sionaries are too busy to write personal letters to many 
members of a school, the heart of many a lonely man 
and woman on the foreign field would be greatly cheered 
to receive a letter from the home land from a child. 
While we would not encourage the children to expect 
answers from the missionaries, experience has proved 
that the missionaries do appreciate the children's efforts, 
and send replies. If the school is supporting any par- 
ticular missionary, and the children know him, they will, 
of course, have a greater personal interest in communica- 
ting with him. 

ii. Photographs. — If the school supports a missionary 
his picture should certainly be familiar to all. A large 
copy might well be hung in the Sunday-school room, and 
under it photographs of his stations and his work, or a 
portfolio could be made of these, and added to from 
time to time. A small reproduction of a missionary's 
photograph could be obtained in large numbers at small 
cost, and put on some one of the missionary programs, 
and used as a souvenir. 

12. Missionary class socials at the home of the teacher 
can prove very helpful. Different members of .the class 
may come prepared to ask each other questions from the 
course that has been studied. A debate as to the relative 
value of the different branches of missionary endeavor, 
or what missionary they consider to have been the 
greatest hero, and why, can be profitably discussed. 
Valuable suggestions along this line will be found in 
" Fuel for Missionary Fires," by Miss Belle M. Brain. 
A wide-awake teacher will want it. 



88 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Conclusion. — The real aim of missionary instruction in 
the Sunday-school should be to arouse such a growing 
interest in world-wide missions that all the scholars shall 
be imbued with the missionary spirit, and devote their 
lives to the cause, whether they remain in the home land 
or go to the uttermost parts of the earth. Sunday- 
school teachers, yours is a great responsibility and op- 
portunity. In your classes now are the future members, 
office-bearers, and ministers of the church — yes, and mis- 
sionaries, too. May God give you this vision ! 



BOOK II 

The Scholar or Why We Teach 



CHAPTER I 

OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 

We now consider the spiritual side of the Sunday- 
school. — Primarily, the Sunday-school is not an educa- 
tional institution, but a religious assembly. Of course 
we know that we must teach our scholars the history of 
the dealings of God with men, as recorded in the Word. 
But that aim is subsidiary to the higher aim of produc- 
ing Christlike character in those under our care. If we 
fail in this latter aim, all possible success in any other 
line is vain. We must aim at the heart and life, and not 
merely at the intellect. This fundamental fact needs to 
be borne constantly in mind, or we shall make a gigantic 
failure in our work. But just because so many forget 
this, we are constrained to emphasize it at this time. 

To begin with, then, the superintendent must be a 
truly religious man. No stream can rise higher than its 
source; and if the superintendent is not what he ought 
to be, what can we expect of the teachers ? He must 
be a man of personal piety, and one much given to 
prayer. On him rest great responsibilities, and to 
him the teachers (to say nothing of the scholars) look 
as their leader. Yet there are many men in the su- 

89 



90 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

perintendent's office whose piety seems to be a minus 
quantity. They may be energetic and clever, but all 
that will not avail to " fill the bill." Noting can take 
the place of that which is " the root of the matter." 
Teachers will soon find out whether their leader is one 
to whose heart the welfare of the school on its spiritual 
side lies near. They will detect it in his prayers, in his 
review, and in his general deportment. If you who read 
these lines are a superintendent, ask yourself at this 
point this question, " Is my life what it should be to 
help me lead my teachers aright ? " And, if it is not, do 
not by any means think of resigning, but at once see to 
it that your life starts on the up grade. 

What about the music leader ? — Is it needful that he, 
too, be truly religious ? From the practice of many of 
our churches, the true answer w T ill be, " No, that is unim- 
portant. If only he can lead the music well, that is 
quite sufficient." But this reply is altogether wrong. 
How can a man whose life is not right lead the school 
in the service of worship each week ? He may use the 
words of the hymns, and sing correctly, but how can he 
praise God if he be not a servant of God ? An uncon- 
verted music leader will pick hymns only for their 
musical value, and not on account of their spiritual use- 
fulness. His work will be of no use to the school from 
the standpoint of its spiritual life. But he who loves 
the Word, and him w T ho gave the Word, will sing with 
the spirit as well as with the understanding, and so will 
help elevate the spiritual side of the school most powerfully. 

My own feeling is that not only superintendent and 
music leader should be truly godly people, but that all 



OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 91 

the officers of the school should be the same. This will 
give homogeneity to the official corps of the school, and 
so power in all its various activities. A godly librarian 
can do much to direct the reading of the scholars in the 
right direction, and a godly secretary will take a much 
deeper interest in the recording of the school roll than 
one who is not godly. If in all of our work we have 
this one object in mind, namely, the highest welfare of 
our scholars, the results will be far more gratifying than 
they now are. 

If what has been said above is true of the officers of 
the school, it is even more so (if possible) of the teachers. 
A secretary may do his work fairly well, though he be 
not a Christian, but how can one who is not a Christian 
be a successful teacher ? " Thou that teachest another, 
teachest thou not thyself ? " How can I lead a scholar 
to Christ, if I have not trodden that pathway myself 
first ? Otherwise, what am I but a blind leader of the 
blind, and in that case the end is disastrous. 

But we are ready to go further than this. Not only 
should every teacher be a true Christian, but every 
teacher should be an earnest follower of the Master. 
There are Christians and Christians. I fear that the 
majority of professed believers are lukewarm, and, 
therefore, unfit for service in their Lord's cause. Is a 
doctor who takes a lukewarm interest in the recovery 
of his patients one whom you would like to employ ? 
How much less is it right for us who have the eternal 
interests of our scholars under our care to be anything 
but " red hot " in our zeal for them ? As the Psalmist 
preferred Jerusalem above his highest joy, so should we 



92 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

care for our classes in their spiritual interests above all 
else that can engage our attention. 

Now, turning to the scholars, let me remind all teach- 
ers that our true aim in all our work for and with them 
is twofold. First, we must aim at their conversion. 
" Ye must be born again," said our blessed Lord, and 
that is as true to-day as it was nineteen hundred years 
ago. Until this has been brought about by the divine 
blessing, we have not reached the very first of our aims. 
To this end, therefore, all our efforts should be concen- 
trated. When, by the Holy Spirit blessing, our scholars 
have really given their hearts to the Lord, then our aim 
changes. Now we aim at their spiritual upbuilding in 
every Christian grace. Of course we now use the truths 
of the lessons with this end in view. Grander work 
than this of leading our scholars to the blessed Christ 
for pardon, and then trying to develop in them his like- 
ness, angels could not desire. Yet just this is the work 
that God has committed to each teacher. 

Yet in spite of all that has been said above, I find 
many teachers who seem to think that if they keep good 
order in their classes, and are able to impart some 
knowledge of history and geography to their scholars, 
they have fulfilled all righteousness. I have seen " ban- 
ner classes " where every effort has been made to secure 
the " banner," and in which that seemed to satisfy the 
highest ambition of the teacher. This proves that we 
are always in danger of being satisfied with that which 
is external to the omission of that which is internal. 
Not that we would depreciate regularity of attendance 
and correctness of deportment, for without these no 



OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 93 

abiding results of any kind can be attained. But that 
to which we wish to direct the teacher's attention, is the 
fact that these things are not enough. They are means 
to an end, but they are not the end itself. 

In order to reach the highest aim the teacher must be 
able to do more than merely see to it that the scholars 
know the lesson. In fact, before ever we can make the 
best use of the lesson itself, we ought to know many 
things about the scholar. Does not the doctor who 
visits the patient try to ascertain as much as possible 
about the habits of the one for whom he is to prescribe ? 
Is there anything about his patient that is of no impor- 
tance to the wise practitioner ? Just so should it be 
with us in our spiritual ministering to the wants of our 
scholars. And yet there are many teachers who know but 
little about the home life or the private life of their classes. 

Yery lately I took a class in my own Sunday-school, 
of boys. In the course of the lesson I ascertained that 
only one boy ever prayed at all. That one only used a 
very short prayer that his mother had taught him and 
he rattled it off to me like lightning. So I had six 
prayerless boys before me and one formalist. The in- 
stant that I made the above discovery, my whole line of 
teaching changed, and I tried to meet the especial wants 
of those boys. If that class were to be mine for a series 
of weeks, all my work would be much influenced by 
that one fact which I have just mentioned. To work 
with such boys as though they were regular in their 
private devotions, would be to fail to meet one of their 
most present and most crying wants. 

The spiritually minded teacher will also seek to know 



94 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

all about the home life of the individual scholar, so as 
better to apply the truth in each case. Our scholars are 
not to be treated as though they were so much dough to 
be made into crackers, all of which are alike. No two 
scholars are alike in all particulars. If I have a boy 
whose father is a liquor dealer, I shall treat his case 
very differently from that of a boy whose father is an 
elder in the church. And if I have a scholar who is try- 
ing hard to live a Christian life, but who meets with 
ridicule at home, for that scholar I shall have from time 
to time an especial message of comfort and guidance. 

We may go still farther than this. — What are the busi- 
ness surroundings of our scholars ? It is of the highest 
importance that the teacher know this. If these sur- 
roundings are dangerous, then we shall try to meet just 
the environment of the scholar. I once had a beautiful 
young girl in my school at the lace counter in a great 
department store. There she w T as in great temptation 
on account of evil-minded men, who came to that counter 
to engage her in conversation, and invite her to go with 
them to the theater and other places of amusement. 
Would it not be worth the while of her Sunday-school 
teacher to know of this, in order to be a friend in need, 
and so a friend indeed ? If I have a boy whose work is 
in the District Messenger Company, I ought to know it, 
and realize that his daily associates are far from what 
they should be, for, as a set, these boys are exceedingly 
low in their talk, and equally so in their walk. 

Then, too, in the matter of the reading of our boys 
a#d girls, the spiritual teacher should know what they 
read. Only yesterday I rode in the cars by the side of 



OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 95 

a young girl who was reading a book that was far from 
elevating. As I glanced at two pages of her book, I saw 
that twice the young man " rapturously embraced the 
girl." Much of our work in the class is undone because 
of the books that our young people are reading. To 
counteract all this, we must know what they are inter- 
ested in, and then, if it be of a debasing character, do our 
best to supplant it by something purer and more elevating. 
Returning now to the proposition that our first aim is 
the conversion of our scholars, and our second aim their 
upbuilding in Christian life, we may well ask the ques- 
tion, " What means should we take to reach the first of 
these aims ? " We reply : There are certain truths that 
we must impress on the minds of our scholars, and ask 
the Holy Spirit to impress on their hearts, before we can 
expect any definite result. It is perfectly clear that no 
scholar will want to ask for pardon unless that scholar is 
convinced and convicted of sin. We need not expect to 
see any very deep conviction of sin on the part of young 
children, though in actual experience this is sometimes 
met with. But some consciousness of ill-desert there 
must be, or the scholar will not feel any need of divine 
pardon. This conviction we should try to reach by im- 
pressing on the scholar his shortcomings in matters of 
daily life. For example, there is the command to obey 
one's parents. Few are the children who are not con- 
scious of having broken this law. There is the matter of 
untruthfulness, and of dishonesty in small things, and 
of evil speaking, or, with boys, of profanity. Only last 
Sunday in teaching a class of girls the lesson of the cast- 
ing out of the demoniac, I drew out from them the kinds 



96 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

of evil spirits that dwelt in their hearts. They gave 
me the following : Lies, dishonesty, hatred, disobedience, 
bad words. 

What a list that was for them to enumerate ! — On that 
it was not hard for the teacher to try and impress on 
them their need of something to cleanse them from these 
wicked things. How can people with hearts like these, 
unchanged, go to heaven, where all is pure and Christ- 
like? Over and over again, the spiritual teacher will 
dwell on these sins, and try to make a deep impression 
of personal sin on the hearts of his pupils. Because this 
is not done as frequently as it should be, our scholars 
have but vague ideas of sin against God, and so have but 
feeble experience of conviction or contrition, and there- 
fore they feel but slightly the need of repentance. Aim, 
therefore, always to arouse a conviction of sin in the 
consciences of your scholars. 

I fear that many a time children feel a sense of guilt, 
but it does not go any further. Consciousness of sin 
makes them uneasy, but in course of time this passes 
away, and their consciences are at rest again. Such 
scholars should be taught that as soon as we feel ourselves 
guilty of an} 7 sin before God, we should always confess 
it to him in prayer, and ask for his pardon. We should 
then forsake that sin, asking God for power to resist the 
temptation when it conies again. A very good verse to 
teach our scholars in this connection is the following : 

11 'Tis not enough to say 
We're sorry and repent, 
Yet still go on from day to day, 
Just as we always went. 



OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 97 

Repentance is to leave 

The sin we loved before, 
And show that we in earnest grieve 

By doing so no more. ' ' 

Now comes the question of pardon for sin committed. 
The penitent child should be led to look to God for 
present pardon, in accordance with his Word. " If we 
confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our 
sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God's 
promises are true, and we may rely on them absolutely. 
Let not the scholar who has gone to God with honest 
confession entertain any doubt as to what God will do. 
He will pardon that very moment. Here, too, I have 
found the use of a verse most helpful in the case of 
many children. If they understand its meaning, it ex- 
presses just what they should feel. 

14 Jesus take this heart of mine, 
Make it pure and wholly thine. 
Thou hast bled and died for me, 
I will, henceforth, live to thee." 

But the spiritual-minded teacher will not rest here. 
This is only the beginning of the child's Christian life. 
Now comes the consecration of that life to the will of 
God. This is expressed in the last line of the verse 
given above. We are saved by God, to serve him, and 
that profession of conversion that is not followed by 
real service is vain. Conversion having been reached, 
there comes the whole of Christian nurture of which 
we have spoken as the second aim of the true teacher. 
Here is where very many teachers who do truly aim at 
the conversion of their scholars come short. They think 



98 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

that when the boy or girl is converted, and has joined 
the church, their work is largely done. Oh, no ! It is 
only just begun. Now comes that long process of Chris- 
tian instruction in duties of all kinds. Now comes that 
broadening of the vision of duty, so that it shall dominate 
the life and shape the character of the child believer. 

In guiding the scholar in this line of Christian growth 
and duty, we must see to it that he makes the proper use 
of two things, namely, private prayer and the Word. 
Without these no one can possibly grow in grace. But 
many of our scholars come from homes where there is no 
true prayer, and no reading of the Word. They do not 
know how to use the Bible in any w T ay that is helpful. 
Instruction in Bible-reading is what they need, as well as 
instruction in the matter of how to pray, and what to 
pray for. Well does the writer remember that when he 
was a boy-Christian, he got more help from simple " daily 
exercises " than from much of his Bible-reading. Books 
like " The Words and Mind of Jesus," and " The Faithful 
Promiser," w r ere most helpful to him in throwing light 
on some passages of the Word in the matter of duty. 
(These booklets are published by the American Tract 
Society.) Then there are those most beautiful little 
books by Frances Ridley Havergal called " Royal Com- 
mands " and " Loyal Responses," which I have used 
much in my work for the upbuilding of young Christians. 
These cost little, but are most helpful to the young 
soldier battling for the Master. 

The spiritual teacher wall not be satisfied with merely 
teaching the lesson, but will now and again ask the 
young believer to wait behind a few moments for more 



OUR SPIRITUAL WORK 



99 



private conversation. Then the teacher can find out in 
detail for what the scholar prays, — whether he prays 
morning and night, or only at night ; whether the 
scholar prays before getting into bed, or after. These 
are all apparently small matters, but in reality, they are 
very important. Talking over these personal matters 
alone with the scholar, the teacher can correct mistakes, 
and give loving counsel to the scholar, which shall be of 
very great value. This personal contact with the scholar 
is of all the more vital importance if that scholar comes 
from a godless home. For in that case all the instruc- 
tion and sympathy that the scholar gets must come from 
the teacher. Pity then if that source of power and com- 
fort fails, is it not ? 

Now to condense the main points at which the spiritual 
teacher should aim, may we put it as follows ? In all 
our work we should aim at 



ONVICTION 
ONTRITION 
b-NFESSlON 
ONVERSION 

ONSECRATION 



CHAPTEK II 

MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 
By Rev. A. H. McKinney, PH. D. 

Great wisdom is not necessary to enable one to point 
out the mistakes of another. The one who wishes to im- 
prove, however, must avoid those mistakes which are 
hurtful. To do this he must know wherein he fails. No 
one can remain in the largest room in the world — the 
room for improvement — without looking frequently 
into the mirror, which is an important article of its 
furniture, in order to learn what sort of a person he is. 
During the past few years the writer has had opportuni- 
ties to visit a large number of Bible schools. His pur- 
pose in calling attention to the mistakes that hurt these 
schools is that he may suggest how they may be avoided. 
The suggestions are made with the view of helping the 
average schools, especially those which carry on their 
work under great difficulties. Here are some of the mis- 
takes which are expressed in current statements : — 

It is a mistake to say 

"We are doing the best we can under the circum- 
stances." — Many earnest but mistaken workers block all 
attempts at reform by this declaration. In many cases 
it is not true, but simply an excuse for inertia. In other 
cases, while it is in a measure true, it is false to declare 
that better conditions cannot be evolved for the purpose 

100 



MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 101 

of more efficient work in the Bible school. Here are 
some workers that belong to a school carried on in a 
building which has only one room. All appeals for bet- 
ter work are met with the declaration : " We have 
but one room. We are doing the best we can under the 
circumstances." Here is a lady who, at a convention, 
determined to better her circumstances so far as school 
work is concerned. So she went back to the little one- 
roomed church, where the Bible-school sessions are held, 
and by a skilful use of screens made of very low-priced 
materials she divided the room into sections, so that the 
three departments of that school — primary, junior, and 
senior — meet in corners of their own, which for practical 
work are virtually separate rooms. Any one with grit, 
go, and gumption may do the same. Those who succeed 
best in any line of effort do not give way to circumstances, 
but improve them. 

It is a mistake to say 

" Our school is peculiar." — Indeed it is. Every school 
is peculiar. No two schools have exactly the same idio- 
syncrasies of human nature with which to contend, the 
same obstacles to overcome. Some schools, however, 
are more peculiar than others. Peculiar persons, as a 
rule, live in a world of their own, refusing to benefit 
their fellows or to be benefited by them. So is it with a 
peculiar Bible school. The very best way in which to 
make and to keep it peculiar is for its workers to harp on 
this one string : " We are peculiar," and to refuse 
to receive suggestions from others or to give help to 
others. The best plan for getting a Bible school out of 
ruts — which is another way of saying peculiar — is for its 



102 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

workers to mingle with workers in successful schools, 
learn their methods, and, in a common-sense way, adapt 
them to local needs. 

It is a mistake to say 

" We do not believe in organized Bible-school work." — 
The school that is doing " the very best we can under 
the circumstances," or that is looked upon as " a peculiar 
school," is very likely officered by those who take no in- 
terest in organized efforts to improve Bible-school meth- 
ods. They do not attend town, county, or state associa- 
tion meetings. Were a Bible-school worker's institute 
held in their citj^ or village, they would probably refuse 
to announce that fact from the desk in the belief that 
" we have no use for such things." Occasionally, there 
is a great school that has such exceptional leaders that 
they can afford to ignore organized efforts for improve- 
ment, but even they are indebted to such movements for 
much that is good in their schools. Even if they are 
not, are they true to the spirit of Christ in their refusal 
to share what they have with others ? The majority of 
schools, however, lose much by refusal to cooperate in 
organized effort. This may be proven by contrasting 
two schools, in similar fields and with similar resources, 
one of which reaps the benefits of the attendance of its 
workers at institutes, conventions, etc., the other of 
which holds aloof from such gatherings. At the first 
session of an institute a lady was very indignant because 
the conductor called attention to some of the mistakes 
that were hurting the Bible schools of the village where 
the conferences were held. At the last session she 
thanked him heartily, saying, " We are getting our eyes 



MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 103 

open, and we will do better work in the future." The 
moral is obvious. 

It is a mistake to say 

" Time on the Lord's Day is not so valuable as on the 
world's days." — It is not formulated in language just in 
this way, but if u actions speak louder than words" this 
is what many superintendents declare in their schools. 
" He has two hundred men under him in the tannery 
and everything runs like clockwork there" was what 
was told me concerning the superintendent of a school 
which I was about to visit. This same man, who is so 
careful and so competent in his business, acted as if he 
had left his common sense outside when he entered the 
door of the Bible school. Not only was the session be- 
gun several minutes after the time set for the opening of 
the school, but fourteen minutes by the clock passed be- 
fore the Bible class could begin its study, because of the 
interruptions to which it was subjected on account of the 
superintendent not having attended to necessary details 
before the opening of the school. The confusion mani- 
fested could have been avoided by a little planning be- 
forehand. Only one day out of seven is given to the 
Lord. How zealous should his children be to make the 
very most of that day. 

For another group of mistakes the superintendent is 
chiefly to blame. — If our brothers and our sisters in the 
superintendence could realize how much they personally 
have to do with the making or the unmaking of the 
school, they would take careful heed unto themselves 
and to the erroneously designated " little things " per- 
taining to their office. Some of the hurtful things 



104 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

for which they are largely responsible are as fol- 
lows : — 

It is a mistake to show 

Lack of interest in the devotional exercises of the 
school. — This is so apparent in many schools that it need 
but be referred to. The superintendent holds the key 
to the situation. If he comes to the school without a 
well-arranged order of exercises, if he does not vary his 
program from Sunday to Sunday, or if he does not carry 
out what he has planned without breaks, he will not in- 
terest the active minds before him, and, of course, will 
not have their attention. A well-arranged order of ex- 
ercises, never twice in succession exactly the same, car- 
ried out so as to give the brightest boy in the school not 
a moment to think of anything else, will be not only in- 
teresting, but profitable to all. 

It is a mistake to allow 

Disorder. — Why are not more of our Bible schools con- 
ducted in accordance with the apostolic command, "Let 
all things be done decently and in order " ? The pre- 
ceding paragraph suggests the reason. A disorderly su- 
perintendent makes a disorderly school. A quiet, self- 
possessed leader, who knows just what he is going to do, 
and when and how it should be done, will have an orderly 
school during the opening and the closing exercises. It 
is absurd to talk about disciplining the Bible school. If 
the superintendent disciplines himself and secures the 
cooperation of the officers and teachers of the school, it 
will not be difficult to manage the so-called " bad boy " 
and the restless or the indifferent girl. 

It is a mistake not 



MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 105 

To protect the school from the thoughtlessness of its 
officers. — The teacher has just gotten the pupils inter- 
ested in the lesson when the secretary invades the class. 
Several precious moments are lost and the broken threads 
of thought are just reunited when Mr. Librarian appears 
on his important mission. The class has had just about 
time enough to recover from the effects of his visit, when 
the pictures or the cards or something else is distributed, 
and soon the teacher is glad to close a half hour of in- 
struction, a large part of which has been wasted by need- 
less interruptions. But these things cannot be avoided. 
Beg your pardon. The remedy is very simple. Have a 
time either before or after the lesson study when all 
necessary work other than teaching shall be attended to. 
Then allow no interruptions from those outside during 
the time given for lesson study, except in case of impera- 
tive necessity. In the best-managed schools, the work 
of the various officers is attended to before the opening 
of the school session, and all distributions are made after 
the benediction has been pronounced. This is the ideal 
plan. 

It is a mistake not 

To make the last ten minutes the most profitable ones 
of the school session. — The lack of a well-arranged order 
of exercises with life behind it is largely responsible for 
this failure. The review, however, is the rock on which 
so many schools go to pieces during the moments of clos- 
ing. Some superintendents talk because they do not 
know how to ask questions. The remedy is simple : 
The superintendent must learn to ask questions, or else 
give the review in charge of one who can ask questions. 



106 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

What reason is there — aside from tradition, which is not 
reason — for the superintendent's always conducting the 
review? If nothing better can be done, a few simple, 
leading questions on the lesson text may be assigned at 
the opening of the school. These should constitute the 
basis of the review. The answers to them will suggest 
other questions. 

Again, some misnamed reviews are failures because 
the superintendents who conduct them resort to that 
barbarous practice of asking questions in order to expose 
the ignorance of those questioned. Perhaps this is done 
because the questioner has no conception of the knowl- 
edge of the pupils. Perhaps he has an idea that he is 
showing how " smart " he is. At any rate he does not 
get answers. Why should he? Who likes to have their 
ignorance exposed ? A "review " is a looking again at 
the lesson. Every question should be for the purpose of 
drawing out what the pupil has received, or for the 
purpose of stimulating thought. Questions asked in this 
spirit will receive answers. 

Sometimes teachers hurt the school. — Next to the 
superintendent the teachers have most to do with mak- 
ing or marring the school. While it is the superin- 
tendent's duty to be orderly and to set a good example, 
his efforts may be nullified by the carelessness of his 
teachers, who should never forget that it hurts the 
school for them to neglect to cooperate with him. 

It is a mistake 

To fail to be in the class before the opening of the 
school session. — To be near the building or in the build- 
ing is not sufficient. The teacher who allows the pupils 



MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 107 

to get to the class before her has given them an advan- 
tage which she may not be able to overcome during the 
entire session. The few minutes of teaching by some 
witty or mischievous leader of the class may be so 
powerful that the teacher in vain tries to interest those 
whose attention she might have gained and held had she 
been in the class before the other teacher began his 
work. There would be fewer tardy pupils were they 
certain to find their teacher always punctually in her 
place. 

It is a mistake 

To fail to set a good example. — Stronger than spoken 
words is the silent influence of the teacher's example. 
A teacher that is attentive, alert, and responsive to what 
is going on on the platform is doing far more for the 
general good order of the school than is the teacher who 
is always telling his pupils what they should do. A rev- 
erent teacher helps to inspire reverence. The one who 
sings, takes part in the responsive exercises, and tries to 
answer the questions put to the school is doing far more to 
have his pupils do the same than could be accomplished 
by any amount of exhortation or of scolding. 

It is a mistake 

To attempt to teach too much during the lesson 
session. — The failure to have clearly in mind one princi- 
pal truth to be impressed during the study time results 
in confusion of thought on the part of the teacher and 
to indifference or disorder on the part of the pupil. 
One truth well taught on each Sunday is infinitely 
better than the attempt to teach fifty-two things during 
one lesson. The teacher who selects the truth most 



108 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

needed in the every-day life of his pupils, allows that 
truth to master him, and then, after earnest prayer, 
comes to the class prepared to state it, question on it, 
illustrate it, and impress it, will have little trouble with 
inattentive pupils. One truth at a time, teacher, one 
truth at a time ! 

It is a mistake to find 

Indiscriminate fault with your school. — Sometimes it 
is the pastor who is the culprit. Sometimes the superin- 
tendent is the guilty one. Sometimes the teacher is to 
blame. When all three are faultfinders, and they are 
helped by some of the officers, there is absolutely no 
hope for the school. The cure for faultfinding is found 
in public commendation of what is good. There should 
be more incentives to well-doing with more rewards 
therefor, and less talk about evil-doing or neglect to do. 
At present there is too much attention paid to those who 
come short of what is right, and too little notice taken 
of those who strive to do their best. This should be re- 
versed. 

It is an inexcusable mistake for a Bible-school worker 
to be provoked when his mistakes are pointed out. — Yet 
this is by no means rare even on the part of those who 
pray for light and wisdom. A minister withdrew from 
an association of Bible-school workers when its commit- 
tee, appointed for the purpose, ventured to point out 
some of the mistakes that were hurting his school. 
Foolish man ! Yes, indeed, but there are others like 
him. A superintendent, when his official shortcomings 
are pointed out to him, threatens to resign. A small 
man ! Let us be bigger and not allow our feelings to 



MISTAKES THAT HURT OUR BIBLE SCHOOLS 109 

stand in the way of the very best work for the Master 
who spared not himself. 

The place in which to guard against these mistakes is 
in the teachers' meeting. — But we have no teachers' 
meeting. That is the most harmful mistake of all. Is 
it any wonder that your workers make so many mistakes 
that hurt your school? If you cannot have a weekly 
teachers' meeting you can at least have a monthly 
gathering of your workers, at which those things which 
are hurting your school may be discussed, and measures 
taken to prevent them. 



CHAPTER III 
superintendents' questions 

This chapter deals with answers to various questions 
that came in from superintendents in New York City 
at a convention. I sent out one hundred return postal 
cards to as many city superintendents, asking them to 
propound some live question for discussion at the con- 
ference for superintendents that was to be held. The fol- 
lowing are some of the questions that came in, and to 
them I venture the subjoined replies. 

Question. — " When a monthly teachers' meeting is all 
that is practicable, what subjects would you have dis- 
cussed with a competent corps of teachers ? " 

Answer. — In the first place, I doubt whether a 
monthly teachers' meeting is " all that is practicable." 
" Where there is a will there is a way." If the pastor 
and superintendent are on fire for a teachers' meeting 
each week, they can have one. Of course not all the 
teachers will come. But if half or one-quarter come, 
they will both get much good themselves, and do much 
good to the school. I never would consent to manage a 
Sunday-school without a weekly teachers' meeting. I 
have always had this in my school, and always propose 
to have it. It is only a question of how much you 
want IT. 

But if you do not have more than a monthly teachers' 

110 



superintendents' questions 111 

meeting, I would recommend as the first question, 
"How to establish a weekly meeting." This if rightly 
discussed and prayed over will, nine times out of ten, 
solve the difficulty, and then you will have time enough 
at your disposal for the proper discussion of all questions 
vital to the welfare of your Sunday-school. 

Question. — How best bring and keep in the Sunday- 
school young men and women sixteen years of age and 
over? 

Answer. — This is an important question. In the first 
place, do all in your power to keep hold of those who are 
at present in your school who are under sixteen. If you 
do this, the question will be largely answered. That 
school that keeps those it has now, will soon have adult 
classes in abundance. To do this, however, we must have 
good teachers, and must provide for the proper handling 
of the scholars as they grow older. One most helpful 
adjunct in this is to have class rooms for the older mem- 
bers of the school. It is relatively easy to keep them if 
they are thus provided for. But even then they will not 
stay unless they have the proper kind of teaching. Here 
is just where the matter of the teachers' meeting is of 
such vital importance. 

In the next place, cease addressing the school as 
" Children." Let the presence of the older scholars be 
borne in mind, and speak to the school in accordance with 
this fact. 

If you succeed in keeping your younger scholars until 
they are over sixteen years of age, they themselves will 
bring in others, and in this way your school will grow. 

Many schools have now learned to organize their 



112 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

older classes, and they have found that with a class or- 
ganization, they succeed not only in holding the scholars, 
but they constantly draw in new ones. If you want 
further information on this point write to Rev. Grant L. 
Bice, 44 State Street, Albany, N. Y., State Sunday-school 
Secretary, and ask for literature on the matter of or- 
ganized Bible Class Work. 

Question. — What single thing, apart from work done 
in the Sunday-school, will aid most in holding the inter- 
est of the scholars in the school ? 

Answer. — Yisiting by the teacher. Nothing can take 
the place of this. If the teacher visits her class with 
some measure of regularity, and especially if she visits 
the absentees, and those who are sick, she is almost sure 
to have a good class attendance. If you do not believe 
this, try it, and you will find out the truth of what has 
been said. In addition to visiting, letters are a great 
help. Make use of the post-office. Scholars love to re- 
ceive letters. If you are off on your vacation, all the 
more do they appreciate a letter, telling them what you 
are doing, and perhaps enclosing some little picture or 
pressed flower. If you never have tried this, make the 
attempt, and you will be much pleased to find out how 
well it works. 

Where this is possible,little class sociables at the home 
of the teacher are most effective. They need not be ex- 
pensive affairs. A glass of lemonade, and some cake and 
a few simple games are not so hard to provide. 

Question. — What, in your judgment, is the best means 
to secure a prompt attendance ; that is, every member 
present at the time of the opening signal ? 



SUPERINTENDENTS 1 QUESTIONS 113 

Answer. — This is a thing not to be accomplished in a 
day. Begin with your teachers. If they are all present 
on time (that really means at least ten minutes ahead of 
time) it will be a good step in the right direction. Then 
let the teacher put forth all her influence to have at least 
her own class all there on time. 

In our school we have large cards at all of the doors, 
on one side of which the words " I am early " are printed. 
On the other side are the words "I am late." The 
" early " side is exposed until the moment that the piano 
strikes the chord. Then doors are closed and the card 
is reversed, so that all who come late read, " I am late." 
The doors are not opened for a few minutes, during 
which time late comers have a text to study which re- 
minds them that they are tardy. When our doors are 
opened, we do not sing, or do anything but sit in perfect 
silence until each late comer has taken his seat. This 
helps to shame them at the thought of their tardiness. 
In an average attendance of, say, 525 in the school, we 
average about twenty-two late each Sunday. How much 
do you average ? 

Question. — How can we secure study at home on the 
part of the scholar ? 

Answer. — In these days when our public schools are 
pressing their scholars so hard, this is a difficult matter to 
accomplish. Yet something may still be done if we are 
willing to take sufficient trouble in the matter. In the 
first place, if you will assign some simple task for each 
scholar, one week in advance, you will find that some of 
your class will respond. Not all. No, that is too much 
to expect. But " some " is better than " none," is it not ? 



114 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Then it will help to visit the parents and talk the matter 
over with the mother. If her aid can be enlisted in this 
matter it will help greatly. Perhaps you may find some 
older brother or sister who will come to your aid. Cer- 
tainly this is well worth the effort. Of course, if you 
are too lazy to try, you must not be surprised if your 
class is too lazy to study. 

Question. — What is the best way to get scholars inter- 
ested in the school and impress on them the importance 
of the work ? 

Answer.— Here we have really two questions rolled 
into one. Take the first. The best way to get scholars 
interested in the school is to make it interesting. If you 
begin in a dull way, and sing at half speed, and drawl 
out a prayer in such a feeble voice that no one can hear, 
how can you expect scholars to be interested ? Young 
people are quick. To meet their natures we must be 
quick too. Lively music, prompt responsive readings, 
short, earnest prayer, varied devotional exercises, these 
are things that all young folk love. From the time that 
the superintendent takes charge of the school, to the last 
hymn, all should be crisp and lively. To make it so re- 
quires a good deal of preparation. Now take the second 
question. You never can make the scholars rightly ap- 
preciate the " importance " of the school. You did not 
when you were young, and why should you expect them 
to ? Make it good and helpful, and when they grow as 
old as you are they will understand its value. But not 
before. 

Question. — How to secure teachers for our Sunday- 
schools ? Should an endeavor be made to pay teachers ? 



superintendents' questions 115 

Answer. — To the last of these two questions, I will 
reply in another chapter at length. Take up the first 
question. It is a most important one. It is a question 
that is asked from Maine to Oregon. If it were a ques- 
tion of getting a sufficient number of teachers once for 
all, the matter would be simple. But teachers change 
so often that the school that has all it needs to-day, is 
running short a year from to-day. In my school I lose 
one-quarter of my teachers each year. Perhaps the 
quickest way to answer this question, then, is to tell how 
I do this work. In the first place, I make it as easy as 
possible for my teachers to do their work. In this way 
some, who otherwise might become discouraged, and leave, 
stay. In the next place, I am always on the watch for 
new teachers. In the Bible classes there are young men 
and women growing up who give promise of being good 
teachers. These we try to enlist, and we succeed in do- 
ing this very often. Though they are inexperienced, 
they make good teachers, and their hearts are in the 
work, if for no other reason than because they love the 
school already. Then we watch the membership of the 
church, and when we need a teacher we look over the 
church roll, and if we find the name of some one who 
we think will be suitable, we ask that person to volun- 
teer. It is of little use to give out the notice from the 
pulpit, " Teachers are urgently wanted in the Sunday- 
school." No one pays any attention to such a notice, 
for what is everybody's business is nobody's business. 
No, go for them individually, and you are much more 
likely to get them. Does this mean work ? Yes, and 
hard and constant work. But why did you take the 



116 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

superintendency if you did not mean to work ? Will 
this plan be successful ? Well, it has been successful in 
my school for over thirty years. Then why not in yours ? 

Question. — How can we get teachers to attend teach- 
ers' meeting ? 

Answer. — In the first place, you never will get them 
all there, unless you have ice cream and cake. Then 
they will come out in force. But that should not dis- 
courage you. If you get half, be encouraged and grate- 
ful. But the meeting must be made truly helpful to 
them in their work, or you cannot expect to get even 
half. Nor must the teachers' meeting be merely a place 
for the exposition of the lesson. It must be a place for 
mutual sympathy, for the stating of difficulties and the 
proposal of remedies. It should be a warm-hearted 
meeting, where the teachers learn to bear each other's 
burdens. Of course everything depends on the leader. 
He (or she) must be fit to lead. At times the superin- 
tendent may well get some public school-teacher to lead, 
for as a rule they are more competent to do this than 
many superintendents are. If the pastor is apt at work 
of this kind, why not have him lead? It would do him 
good as well as do the teachers good. 

At times it may be well to have a teachers' sociable, 
and thus get them out in full force. But this is not pos- 
sible often. 

Question. — How can we impress teachers with the im- 
portance of their position, their duties and responsibilities 
as molders of the spiritual life of their scholars ? 

Answer. — This is a matter of slow growth. It would 
help if the pastor were enlisted in this effort, and were 



superintendents' questions 117 

to preach from the pulpit on " The Sunday-school Teacher 
and his Responsibility." Much can be done in the 
teachers' meeting in this direction, and the teachers 
there can be patiently led to see their duty, and be led 
to pray for wisdom in its right discharge. On the 
whole, if the " tone " of the school is high the teachers 
will feel it, and if the service of worship (too often called 
" opening exercises ") is made warm and reverent, this, 
too, will help raise the standard of the teacher's concep- 
tion, and his effort to do his duty toward his class. 

Question. — How can we interest the rank and file of 
the adult members of a congregation in Sunday-school 
work ? 

Answer, — If by this is meant how can we get them to 
join the school, the reply would be that probably it can- 
not be done. The rank and file of adults in any con- 
gregation are too old to be induced to change the habit 
of years, and come to Sunday-school. The church has 
rarely existed where even twenty-five per cent, of the 
adult members could be induced to come to the school 
session. 

But still much can be done by means of the Home 
Department of the school. By means of this depart- 
ment, many who could not come to Sunday-school if they 
would, and who would not if they could, may still be 
prevailed upon to pledge themselves to study the Sunday- 
school lesson for half an hour each week. This has been 
done in thousands of cases, and in the State of New 
York alone we have over forty thousand Home Depart- 
ment scholars. An additional advantage of this way of 
working is found in the fact that if a mother is studying 



118 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the same lesson as her children, she is more apt to help 
them in their study of the lesson. 

Question. — Is it best to consider the superintendency a 
layman's office? 

Answer. — Yes, as a rule. But there are exceptions to 
this. In the large city Sunday-schools it is sometimes 
found best to have the pastor's assistant take charge of 
the school. In Episcopal Sunday-schools this is very 
frequently done, and the school has in this way an or- 
dained man for superintendent. 

There are quite a number of Sunday-schools in the 
land where it is almost impossible to find a capable lay- 
man to take the office of superintendent. In such cases 
let the pastor assume the office and do the work. Three 
services are not too much for any well man to undertake. 
The writer did this in his own school for fourteen years, 
and it did him only good and no harm. 

Question. — How can the superintendent know what his 
teachers are teaching ? 

Answer. — One way in which the writer knows what 
his teachers are teaching is by first teaching them what 
to teach. This is done in the regular weekly teachers' 
meeting. Then he knows also by means of regular 
written examinations that are held three times each 
year. He also gets some information along this line by 
teaching frequently in his school as substitute, when he 
can easily find out how much the class that he takes has 
had done for it by the regular teacher. 

Question.— Would it be advisable to have the public 
school authorities set aside one afternoon in the week 
whereon such children could be excused from attend- 



superintendents' questions 119 

ance as their parents certified would attend a mid-week 
Sunday-school session in addition to the regular session 
on Sunday ? 

Answer. — No, I hardly think so. Either the public 
school session on that afternoon would have to be entirely 
omitted, or it should not be omitted at all. If it were 
not omitted then those scholars who did attend it would 
have by just that much the advantage over those who 
stayed away to attend a mid-week Sunday-school session. 
You could not expect scholars, particularly those who 
were ambitious, to make any such sacrifice for the sake 
of the Bible instruction. My own impression is that all 
schemes to omit or change our public school instruction 
for the sake of Bible teaching are vain. 

Question. — How can we maintain order in the school ? 

Answer. — In the first place, you must get order, or 
you cannot maintain it. In small Sunday-schools this 
is not hard. But in large schools it requires some 
system. In the first place, it cannot be done at all un- 
less the teachers cooperate with the superintendent. If, 
when he gives the signal for order, whether by bell or 
by chord from the piano, they keep on talking, or trans- 
acting class business, he will find it impossible to get 
order. If the secretary or the librarian walk around 
the room after the signal for order is given, distributing 
books or records, how can order be secured ? ,N~o, let 
superintendent and fellow workers of all grades agree 
that the instant that the signal for order is given they 
themselves will at once obey. Then let each teacher 
do his best to secure order in his own class. Of course 
the doors must be closed as soon as the " order signal " 



120 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

is given, or the late comers will make disorder as they 
come in. 

After the signal for order has been given, let the 
superintendent rise quietly and stand before the school. 
Let him make no further appeal for order, but just 
stand, until the school becomes perfectly quiet. It may 
take a minute or more at first to secure this perfect 
attention, but soon the school will become accustomed 
to the plan, and it will not take ten seconds to have it 
quiet. Then give out your hymn, and begin your wor- 
ship. 

Question. — Name some of the pitfalls to be avoided by 
the superintendent. 

Answer. — These are legion. Let me enumerate some 
of them. 1. Coming late. By late I mean five or ten 
minutes before the time for opening. The superintendent 
should be in his school long, yes, long before the open- 
ing time. (This is not the case, however, where the school 
meets right after the preaching service.) 2. Coming un- 
prepared. I have seen a superintendent who had not 
picked out his hymns step to the platform at the time of 
opening, and then begin to consult his music leader as 
to what to sing. The superintendent should know be- 
forehand all that he proposes to do, from start to finish, 
before ever he gets to the school. 3. Failing to be 
cordial, to his teachers. It would be a good thing for 
the superintendent to try to shake hands with each of 
his teachers before the school opens. Of course he must 
be early in order to do this. 4. Leading the school in a 
sort of half-hearted way. A leader should lead, and 
that in a whole-hearted way, full of enthusiasm. Put a 



superintendents' questions 121 

half-dead man as leader, and what can you expect to 
have but a half-dead school ? If this question meets the 
eyes of any superintendent, let me advise him by all 
means to get a good book on the work of the Sunday- 
school like that of Marion Lawrance or Amos R. Wells 
and study it, and then carry out its suggestions. It will 
do him and the school much good. 

Question. — Should the pastor or superintendent preside 
at the business meetings of the Sunday-school ? 

Answer. — As a rule the superintendent should preside. 
But rather than have any friction, let the pastor preside. 
If the pastor is really active in the school, there is all 
the more reason for letting him take the chair. But if 
he is a reasonable man, he will insist on the superintend- 
ent taking charge of the business meeting. 

Question. — Is it not better for a teacher to enforce 
strict discipline even to the extent of expulsion from the 
class if necessary ? 

Answer. — Expulsion is rarely necessary. If the 
teacher has tact and perseverance, discipline may be 
secured, in time, if not immediately. Each case must be 
judged by itself, for no two cases are just alike. With a 
child who comes from a demoralized home, more patience 
is called for than with a child from a good home. Often 
when the child is insubordinate, a visit by the teacher 
on the mother is sufficient to remedy the difficulty. In 
some cases it is enough for the teacher to call in the aid 
of the superintendent, for whom presumably the child 
has some extra respect. Sometimes the expulsion of the 
scholar for that session in which he misbehaves is ade- 
quate. But if all fail, then, rather than have the whole 



122 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

class demoralized, let the scholar be expelled. In many 
years' experience it has been necessary in my school to 
expel only two, and in each case they apologized and 
came back in the course of a month or two. 

Question. — How far are prizes legitimate at all, either 
for attendance, lesson, or other accomplishment ? 

Answer. — My best reply to this would naturally be to 
tell what we do in our own school, for we have dis- 
cussed this matter at great length in past years. We 
offer a prize to each scholar in the whole school, and to 
each teacher and officer, who attains a certain grade of 
attendance, combined with promptness and a certain per 
cent, of perfect answers to three examinations of the 
lessons of three quarters. All fare alike in this matter, 
and all must do high-grade work to win the prize offered. 



CHAPTER IV 

FICTION OR FACT ? 

Fiction that might be fact is my theme. The Mount 
Pleasant Sunday-school was on its annual picnic. For 
many weeks the scholars had been anticipating this oc- 
casion, and had made all manner of preparations for the 
same. A fine steamer had been chartered, and the grove 
that the school was to visit was on Long Island Sound, 
and was charmingly situated. As the scholars gathered 
on the pier, their bright faces showed that all had high 
anticipations of a grand good time. Lunch baskets were 
much in evidence, and bats and balls were not missing. 
The musicians, too, were there, to discourse sweet music 
on the boat and at the grove. Many of the scholars too 
had invited friends to go with them, as the annual picnic 
of the Mount Pleasant Sunday-school had become famous 
for the good times that the people had. 

At last the whistle sounded, as the signal for depar- 
ture, and the band began " The Star Spangled Banner," 
while the whole school united in one grand hurrah, and 
waved their hands to those who had to go back to their 
work for the day, and who somewhat sadly returned the 
greeting. The run down the East River was much en- 
livened by the many sights of passing steamers and 
schooners, and craft of all kinds, while the shores were 

123 



124 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

most attractive with their lawns, and abundant trees, 
all in the glory of summer foliage. Then came the 
broader expanse of the Sound, and the feeling of wide- 
ness that the dweller in the crowded city rarely enjoys. 
All went merry as a marriage bell, and each heart was 
filled with joy over the exhilarating sights and sounds 
that all so highly appreciated. 

In about two hours the grove was reached, and all 
rushed ashore, to enjoy themselves for the next six or 
eight hours, each in his own way. The parents sought 
out quiet groves where they could camp down, and en- 
joy themselves in a peaceful way, while the younger set 
at once began to organize their games of various kinds. 
Baseball, races of all kinds were at once started, and the 
young folks had a most delectable time, only stopping 
their games at the hour for lunch. This was enjoyed in 
various family groups, and all did their duty by the 
viands that the careful mother of each family had 
brought along. 

Lunch done, the games were resumed, until, alas, only 
too soon the whistle again sounded for " all aboard." 
Lunch baskets were once more packed (though they were 
not as full as they had been in the morning) and before 
long all were safe on the steamer, setting their faces 
homeward. Tired were they all, but happy and satisfied 
with their splendid day's outing. 

At the bows of the steamer a set of young folks now 
gathered to have a little chat. There were among them 
representatives of several Sunday-schools. Presently 
their talk turned toward their respective Sunday-schools, 
and then it became most interesting. As the writer was 



FICTION OR FACT? 125 

sitting near this group, he could not help overhearing 
what they said, though of course he did not take any 
part in the conversation. 

" What kind of a teacher have you got ? " asked one of 
the girls, addressing a friend from another school. 

" Oh, I don't just know. One thing I know, however, 
and that is that she is nearly always late. At the best 
she just skins in at the last moment, so that we are never 
quite sure whether we shall have our own teacher, or a 
substitute. The girls are tired of the whole thing, and 
lately some of them have begun to stay away just on 
that account. It is too bad." 

"Is that so?" was the reply ; " why our teacher is 
there always, and what is more, is early, so that she is 
the first in the class to be in the school. In this way we 
know what to expect, and are glad to be early ourselves, 
so as to greet her, and have a few words with her before 
the school opens. We all like that, and are rarely late 
ourselves, as that makes us ashamed." 

At this point a boy broke in saying, " Our teacher is not 
late, but very often does not come at all. He never 
sends the superintendent any excuse, so that we do not 
know whether to expect him or not. We do get good 
substitutes when he is away, but after all, no substitute 
can take the place of the regular teacher. Substitutes 
do not know our ways, and so get mixed up in the man- 
agement of the class. Of course, the boys do not like 
this at all." 

" Well," said another boy, " if that was the kind of a 
teacher I had, I would light out and find another school. 
I am sure I do not know why I should break my neck 



126 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

to go to a Sunday-school, if the teacher does not think 
enough of his boys to be there regularly." 

" Now let me tell you about our teacher," said a 
maiden of fifteen summers. " She is regular in her at- 
tendance, but she always asks us questions out of the 
quarterly, in regular order. It is dull as dust to have 
that kind of teaching. In the public school the}' would 
not allow a teacher to work in that way. They have to 
know what they are about, or they would be bounced. 
I really do not think that our teacher studies her lesson 
carefully, or she would know better than that. Indeed 
I hear that she never attends the teachers' meeting for 
the study of the lesson. She ought to do that, for in 
that way she would be able to do better work for us in 
the class. Somehow or other she never makes the les- 
son bright and attractive." 

" I am sorry for you," replied another girl of about 
the same age ; " our teacher knows what she is after. 
For she never uses her quarterly at all, while she is 
teaching. She knows too much, and I am sure that she 
must prepare well before she comes to the class. The 
fact is that she is so full of the lesson that we find the 
time too short for all we have to talk over. We are al- 
ways sorry when the closing signal comes." 

" Well," said another young girl, " when it comes to the 
matter of the regularity of the teacher, I really think 
that ours is the banner class. Why, our teacher has 
taught the class now for twenty-nine years, and do you 
know she has been absent only four times. Just think 
of that. And the times when she has been absent, she 
absolutely could not help it. I think that is grand." 



FICTION OR FACT? 127 

" Yes," replied another scholar, " that is wonderful, 
and I wonder how ever she did it. Our teacher is not 
quite as regular as that, but she is grand all the same. 
One thing that we like about her is that she visits us in 
our homes quite regularly. And not only that, she drops 
in for a moment at our places of business. For example, 
I am in Huyler's, and the other day she came in just as 
we were very busy. But she did not stay long. She 
only gave me a rose and said, ' This with my love.' Of 
course I was much pleased at her thoughtf ulness. Any 
one would be pleased." 

" Our teacher is just like that too," said a young lad. 
" He visits us and is especially careful to do so when any 
member of the class is sick. Last month when my 
brother Sam was so sick, our teacher came quite often to 
see him, and sometimes brought him some delicacy or 
other which you may be sure was much appreciated by us 
all. Mother thinks that there is no man in town like him. 

" Then he takes his class out for a day in the country 
once in a while in the summer, and we all enjoy that 
immensely. He is most companionable, and does not 
set himself up in any way. I tell you, the boys think 
that he is the finest teacher in the whole school." 

" Talking about the country," said another scholar, " do 
you know in the summer when our teacher is away, she 
never fails to write to each member of the class, and 
tells them where she is, and how she is spending her time. 
Then she puts a pressed flower or an autumn leaf into 
the letter, just as a souvenir that we may keep. Each 
girl reads her letter for the week to the whole class, for 
they are most interesting." 



128 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

On this a silent member of the group broke in as fol- 
lows : " Really I never knew that there were so many 
different kinds of Sunday-school teachers. But mine is 
not like any of those of whom you all have been speak- 
ing. Our teacher gets through the lesson in about fifteen 
minutes, and then does not seem to know what to do with 
the rest of the time. Then she promises us that she will 
do certain things for us, but she always forgets to carry 
out her promises. We have learned that we cannot trust 
her word at all, so we pay no more attention to what she 
says. Some of the girls think that all this carelessness 
comes from the fact that she has a young man who dances 
attendance on her, and she has no time to think of any- 
thing else. I have only lately come into the class, but 
the older girls say that she was not always so, but did 
much better until this young man began to hang around 
her. I wonder if this is really so. Anyhow, I have been 
thinking lately that if things did not go better I should 
leave the class and try my luck in another Sunday- 
school." 

Just at this point a boy spoke up and said, " Say, we 
have been talking a good deal about our teachers. Now 
suppose that we find out what kind of superintendents 
we have. If no one objects, I will set the ball rolling in 
that direction. I am sorry to say that our superintendent 
is a stick. He makes me tired. When he goes onto the 
platform it is evident that he is not prepared for his work, 
for not infrequently I see him picking out his hymns 
after the school has been opened. That does not seem 
right. Then when he prays he speaks so low that we 
can hardly hear him, and his prayers are awfully long 



FICTION OR FACT ? 129 

and dull. It makes us all wish that he had more com- 
mon sense." 

" We have a different kind of a man as superintendent 
in our school," said another boy. " He is a great fault- 
finder, and is always having a dig at us boys. If any- 
thing goes wrong he never takes the trouble to find out 
who did it, but blames it on the boys at once. This 
makes us mad, I can tell you, for half the time the girls 
are as much to blame as the boys. But he seems to think 
that the girls are all angels. In that way he gets 
left. Then, though there are not singing-books enough 
to go round, and the girls have most of them, he 
finds fault with the boys for not singing ; as though 
one could sing without a book. Why does he not see 
to it that we have books before he blames us for not 
singing? " 

" Now that you have mentioned the matter of singing," 
said a girl, " the trouble in our school is that we have not 
had a new music book for I do not know how many 
years. Our books are all broken-backed, and we have 
sung them to death. I do wish that our superintendent 
would try and get a new supply of singing-books, and 
then we would try our best to sing well. In a Sunday- 
school two blocks away from us, I hear that they have 
three sets of books, and sing out of one for two or three 
months, and then take up another set. This gives fresh- 
ness to their singing. They claim to sing better than 
any school in the city, and I should not wonder if they 
were right. Certainly our school sings most shamefully. 
Then besides all this our piano is something to hear. It 
sounds as though it had come out of the ark, it is so 



130 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

stringy and metallic in its tone. And half of the time it 
is out of tune. I think it is a shame to have things go 
on in this kind of a way in our city." 

" You ought to see our superintendent," said another 
lad, " for he is a regular back number. If any visitor 
comes to the school, he at once asks him to ' make a few 
remarks.' And the kind of stuff that we sometimes hear 
is awful. Then when the superintendent comes to talk 
himself he always addresses us as 'dear children.' The 
boys all kick at that, for they feel that they are not chil- 
dren any more. As for reviewing the school on the les- 
son for the day, or making use of the blackboard as they 
do in all of the public schools, he never would dream of 
that. In fact, we have no board in our school at all, and 
if we had, there is no one who could use it. Our 
superintendent does sometimes address the school, but he 
gets off such ' chestnuts ' that the boys whisper, ' Oh, 
cut it out.' He has not told us a new story or given a 
fresh illustration for many a long year. They say he is 
a good man ; but I am sure that he does not interest us 
at all. He never thought of having a teachers' meeting 
like the school at Progressville, where they say things 
are worked up to date." 

" I am sorry for you all who have such superintend- 
ents," said a bright lad. " We have a very different 
kind of a man at the head of our school. He knows 
what is what. His blackboard reviews are something to 
remember, for he helps make the lesson clear ; and when 
we have a substitute teacher who has fallen on his back, 
the superintendent makes up for it wonderfully. He 
does good work on the board too, and in that way helps 



FICTION OR FACT ? 131 

to fix the main parts of the lesson and its teachings in 
our minds firmly. 

" Besides this, he knows us all by name, and that helps 
a lot. Then he visits us in our homes, especially in 
times of sickness. He has a list of our birthdays, and 
sends us each a letter of congratulation on that day. It 
makes you feel good to know that you are remembered 
in this way. 

" In our school we have a good physical culture class, 
and the superintendent comes to see us drill, and seems 
to enjoy it about as much as we do ourselves. The boys 
just love him, and would do anything in the world for 
him." 

In this way the talk went on in that group of Sun- 
day-school scholars, not in any bitter way, but still in a 
manner that would have made some of the teachers and 
superintendents think deeply if they had heard all the 
conversation. It was all true, and that was the sad part 
of much that the young folks said. If you had the 
privilege of hearing your class discuss you, teacher, what 
do you think would be your feeling over what they 
could truthfully say about you ? 

Shortly before the time of arrival at the dock, one 
scholar broached a new phase of this " school of criticism." 

" I wish," she said, " that we had a different kind of a 
minister. Our pastor rarely comes to the Sunday-school, 
or if he comes in at all, it is just for a flying visit. He 
does not seem to know what lesson the school has been 
having, and if the superintendent asks him to say any- 
thing he never speaks of that which we have just been 
studying. Our teachers have a teachers' meeting, but 



132 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

he never goes to it, though I hear that he finds time to 
attend two different ministers' clubs each week. And 
then there are his sermons. I never understand any- 
thing that he says, for he seems to talk of things that 
are so far away. He reads all his sermons, and that 
makes it all the more dull. I love to sing, but in our 
church the choir does most of the singing, and the way 
they ' go it ' is fearful. So to me the church service is 
deadly dull, and I wish that I was not obliged to at- 
tend." 

" When I hear what you say," said another girl, " I 
am glad that I do not go to your church. As for our 
minister, all the young folks just adore him. He acts as 
though he were one of them. Every Sunday he preaches 
a short sermon to the younger members of the congrega- 
tion, and we all love to hear him. The youngest can 
understand, and yet he does not talk in any 'goody- 
goody ' way, as some men do. Sometimes he uses ob- 
jects to illustrate his sermon, and that makes it all the 
easier to remember what he says. Even father and 
mother seem to remember the object sermons better 
than they do the usual ones, and they talk about them 
when they get home more than they do about the 
ordinary sermon. Then in the school he knows just 
what to say to fit the lesson for the day, so that the 
scholars seem to feel that he knows what he is talking 
about. We just love him, and are so afraid that some 
other church will call him away from us. But I do not 
believe that he would be willing to go." 

Just at this point the steamer was drawing near the 
dock, so the conversation had to come to an end. The 



FICTION OR FACT? 133 

scholars scattered swiftly to their homes, only to go on the 
following Sunday to meet just these same teachers and 
superintendents. Are you, teacher, one of these ? And 
if so, which one are you f 



CHAPTER V 

THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS IN SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

SUCCESS 

By Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, D. D, 

Many years ago I heard that master-workman in the 
Sunday-school, Ealph Wells, give an illustration which 
since then has often been in my mind. He said, " On 
my way up the hill to this convention, I saw a horse 
pulling a loaded wagon. The wagon was not large, and 
the horse was strong ; but he was having a hard time 
with his load, because he was trying to do his work on 
three legs instead of four. He had met with an injury, 
and one of his legs was useless. The load, which would 
not have been heavy for a horse with four legs, was a 
terrible burden to a three-legged animal. That horse 
made me think of the Sunday-school, which goes ahead 
or stands still on four legs. Two of the legs of the 
Sunday-school horse are in front. They are the teacher 
and the superintendent. Two others are behind, push- 
ing from the rear, but just as important as those in front, 
the pastor and the parent. If all four of the legs will 
do their part, the Sunday-school will move on and carry 
quite a load. But if any one of these four factors fail, 
then the work of the school is held back from success, 
and may be turned into failure." 

That was the thought, if not the language, of a para- 

134 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 135 

graph in an address that I heard twenty years ago. It 
is worth putting into print, and it suggests its own ap- 
plication to every thoughtful reader. 

Let us consider what the word " success' ' means 
when applied to the Sunday-school. The successful Sun- 
day-school, — what is it ? It is not the school with the 
largest enrolment, or the finest building, or the best 
music, or the most elaborate program of exercises, or 
the school which makes the greatest stir in the com- 
munity. Success in the Sunday-school means souls 
saved through the school as an institution. " Saved," 
not " converted " ; for salvation is more than conversion. 
Conversion is the decision of a soul for Christ, the turn- 
ing from sin to righteousness, from self to God. That is 
the beginning of salvation, and a very important step, 
but only one step. Salvation includes conversion; but it 
includes also training, progress, completeness in Chris- 
tian character. The mission of the Sunday-school is to 
bring souls to Christ, and to build up souls in Christ ; 
and not until they have been brought and built up to' 
completeness of Christian character is the work of the 
Sunday-school finished for its members. The stress of 
work in the Sunday-school is laid upon the teaching of 
the Word of Life, simply because that Word will accom- 
plish more in the salvation of the scholar than will 
any other instrumentality. But we are never to lose 
sight of the great ultimate aim for which all our work is 
wrought, the complete salvation of the scholar. We 
store up the contents of Scripture in the pupil's mind, 
only that through feeding upon the Word, he may be- 
come strong in Jesus Christ. 



136 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

la the accomplishment of this purpose there are the 
four personal factors named in the homely illustration 
with which we began : the teacher, the superintendent, 
the pastor, and the parent. 

I. The Teacher 

The teacher is the unit of Sunday-school work, " the 
man behind the gun," upon whom the work depends. He 
it is who, in the Sunday-school, comes most closely into 
contact with the pupil. The parent enters more directly 
into the life of the child at home ; but we are speaking 
now of the Sunday-school ; and there the teacher is the 
one who touches the pupil in the closest relation. 

There are some teachers from whose classes pupils are 
entering the church constantly, until after a time the en- 
tire membership of the class is inscribed upon the roll of 
the church. These teachers may be Bible scholars, or 
they may not be ; indeed, it often comes to pass that one 
who has no great skill in teaching does have great suc- 
cess in soul-winning. We must not undervalue one 
type, nor must we overvalue the other. Sometimes the 
teacher who is storing up in the minds and hearts of his 
pupils a mass of Scripture truth, is laying the foundation 
upon which another may build a strongly developed 
Christian character. 

But let the teacher ever keep before him as his chief 
aim the salvation of his scholar. Let him teach every 
lesson with this aim in view, even though he may not 
say every Sunday, " Come to Jesus." Let him know 
the spiritual conditions and environment of every 
scholar, whether he is near to the kingdom or far from 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 137 

it, what are his helps and what are his hindrances in the 
way of life : and let him work steadily, even though he 
may not let his purpose always be apparent to the sub- 
ject of it, for the salvation of his scholar ; always re- 
membering that salvation is more than decision, more 
than the crisis of conversion, more than the formal act 
of union with the church; that it is completeness in 
Christ Jesus. 

Senator Depew was once giving testimony before a 
committee of the New York Legislature, on the methods 
of signaling employed by the New York Central Rail- 
road, for insuring the safety of its passengers. He gave 
a very, elaborate account of the system in use, and then 
made a remark of this tenor : " After all, gentlemen, 
whatever may be the system in the last analysis, we 
must depend upon the men who work it ; and there is 
always more in the man than there is in the system." 

The man at the center of the system in the Sunday- 
school is the teacher ; and oftener than otherwise, " the 
man " is a woman. But whether male or female, let the 
teacher recognize that the ultimate purpose of the Sun- 
day-school is to bring to Christ as many souls as possible, 
fully prepared for the kingdom of God ; and then to say, 
"Here am I, Lord, and those whom thou hast given 
me." 

In order to bring to pass this result (1) Let the teacher 
himself be a saved man, showing forth the fruits of 
grace in his own character ; that he may draw to Christ, 
and not repel his scholars from Christ : for what the 
teacher is, will always have a greater influence than 
what he says. (2) Let him know his scholars intimately, 



138 

and be at home with them, not only for an hour on 
Sunday, but through the week. (3) Let him find some- 
thing in every lesson which will set forth the Christian 
life, and wisely, tactfully, impress it on his class. 
(4) Let him personally and individually urge upon his 
scholars, at proper times, the duty of an immediate con- 
secration to God. (5) Let him watch over their develop- 
ing character, and set before them large and noble 
ideals. (6) And let him by counsel, by suggestions, and 
even by warning, use every effort to build up in his 
pupils the complete Christian character. 

II. The Superintendent 

Every ship must have a captain, every army a general, 
every business a head ; and it is a truism to say that 
every Sunday-school must have a superintendent. Yet 
there are thousands of Sunday-schools in America which 
are practically, though not theoretically, worse off than 
one Sunday-school which I visited in England. There I 
was informed that each male teacher took his turn in di- 
recting the school for one Sunday ; so that there was a 
new superintendent for ten weeks in succession ; and they 
considered it a good plan ! Now in America there are 
thousands of Sunday-schools whose fate is worse than 
that one in England ; for while they have a superin- 
tendent by election, he is simply a figurehead, doing 
nothing except to announce hymns that the chorister 
has selected, and leaving the school to run itself accord- 
ing to its own will. 

The true superintendent is the sagacious, alert, watch- 
ful master of affairs, with a purpose steadily in view ; 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 139 

with an eye that scans the horizon ; with a hand which 
is always gentle, though firm and strong; with a re- 
source always ready for every emergency ; and with a 
clear and high ideal ever above him, toward which he is 
ever pressing, — always a little beyond his reach, yet 
never so far beyond as to be visionary and Utopian, far 
enough to be an inspiration, not so far as to become a 
discouragement. The work of the Sunday-school is the 
teaching of the Word ; and it is the superintendent's 
business to see that this work is done thoroughly; to 
attend to it that his scholars know the spiritual contents 
of the Book. For the aim of the school is to make its 
scholars thoroughly acquainted with the Book, ac- 
quainted with Christ, who is the life of the Book ; and 
this aim should be before the superintendent day and 
night. 

The whole school, teachers and scholars, takes its 
spirit from the superintendent. If the superintendent 
is " perfunctory," doing his work in a soulless, mechan- 
ical way, then the teachers are apt to do their work also 
in a soulless, mechanical way. But if the superintend- 
ent is a man who realizes the value of individual souls, 
who recognizes that the hour for reaching and winning 
them is the Sunday-school period of their lives, who is 
eager to bring his scholars to Christ and to build them 
up in Christ — then his teachers will catch the contagion 
of his enthusiasm and will be fellow workers with him 
in soul- winning and character-building. 

With this end in view, what are the definite things to 
be done by the superintendent, the second of the four 
personal factors in the school's success ? 



140 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

1. He as well as the teacher must show what the 
Christian character is, and present to the scholars of his 
school an object-lesson in his salvation which will attract 
them to Christ. 

2. The superintendent in the main selects his own 
teachers. He finds them in the Sunday-school or the 
church, and sets them at work. Let him choose none 
but earnest, godly men and women to instruct the schol- 
ars ; men and women clothed with an atmosphere of a 
Christly life and a winning personality. 

3. Let him know all his teachers and his scholars as 
far as it is possible to know them. The superintendent 
should have his own roll of membership kept up to date, 
so that he can locate any given scholar by his class. He 
should come to the school, not five minutes late, not on 
the moment for opening, but half an hour before the 
opening, if practicable, to meet teachers and pupils in a 
social way and greet them as they enter. 

4. Let him always hold up the life in Christ and 
the character of a Christian to view before his school, 
and with every lesson show something to point his school 
to Christ. 

5. Let him make careful preparation for a great 
" Decision Day " in his school at least once each year. 
Let the date be fixed and kept before the teachers, but 
not named in advance to the school ; let the teachers for 
several Sundays in advance meet weekly, before or after 
the session, to pray for their scholars together ; let a wise 
presentation of the plan be made to the school on the 
day appointed; and "decision cards" be distributed, to 
be signed and returned by the scholars ; and let the 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 141 

fruits of the decision be carefully gathered, watched over, 
and brought into the church. 

6. All these efforts will require tact and wisdom on 
the part of the superintendent. He must urge, but not 
urge too often nor too persistently. He must speak to 
his school, but in a sound, healthy way, not showing or 
promoting a morbid, unduly emotional type of the re- 
ligious life, and yet " fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 
" He that winneth souls is wise," and he will need all his 
wisdom in winning them. 

III. The Pastor 

It is often a marvel to me that so many pastors pay 
so little attention to the Sunday-school, the source from 
which at least three-fourths of the church of the future 
are to come. There are ministers who spend all their 
energies in preparing and preaching two sermons on 
Sunday, and have scarcely time or thought for any other 
work. But the minister's business is not to preach 
sermons ; it is to win souls to Christ, and to build them 
up in Christ ; and while the Sunday sermons may be a 
help in this direction, their value is often vastly over- 
rated. When Paul wrote to Timothy, " preach the 
word," did he have in mind anything like the formal 
discourse of to-day ? When Philip sitting in the chariot 
preached to the Ethiopian treasurer, he took a text, but 
did he deliver a sermon? The minister who knows 
how to preach sermons, and knows nothing else, in our 
time is finding himself and his church hopelessly stranded 
on the shore, with no prospect of getting into the current. 

Then there is another type of minister who finds the 



142 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

age unresponsive to his methods ; and that is " the re- 
vivalist," the man who in former times drew crowds to 
emotionally evangelistic services ; who was skilled in all 
the schemes of " the altar," " the mourner's bench," and 
"the inquiry room"; the man whose only method in 
soul-winning was that of the old-fashioned revival, 
once so successful everywhere, now successful only 
in a few places and under peculiar conditions ; the 
method which dealt with men in masses, regarded them 
all as "sinners," and largely used the motive of " the 
terrors of the law " to lead them to Christ. The great 
failure of this method of working is, that " the sinners " 
will not come to the revival ; and the saints who do not 
need either warning or pleading are the only people who 
hear them. 

But if the saints do not need to be converted and the 
sinners will not come and be converted, what is the 
minister to do ? What field can he work if these fields 
once so fruitful are now barren ? There is the great and 
glorious field of the childhood in the Sunday-school, re- 
sponsive to effort and rewarding it an hundredfold. 
There are ministers vainly endeavoring to hold revival 
meetings with none but church-members attending them, 
in whose Sunday-schools are gathered every week 
hundreds of children and young people ready to receive 
the Word of Life and to respond to it. The minister who 
will give to this field a portion of the energy and thought 
that some ministers are vainly giving to sermonizing, 
and other ministers are vainly giving to " revivalizing," 
will find speedy and large results of his labor. 

But he must unlearn some of his former ways of work- 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 143 

ing, if he is to reach and influence this hopeful constit- 
uency. He must lay aside alike his sermonic and re- 
vivalistic methods in dealing with the Sunday-school. 
" Repentance," " conversion," " the new birth," have 
meanings with this class different from the meaning that 
they have and should have to men who have lived god- 
less and wicked lives. Here are a few hints to the pastor 
who would enter upon this field of labor. 

1. Let him make himself at home in his Sunday- 
school — not by shaking hands with teachers and scholars 
during the lesson-period, but — by taking part every Sun- 
day in its exercises, occasionally leading in prayer, often 
summing up the lesson in a five-minute talk, and speak- 
ing to the school on matters of interest religiously. 

2. Let him before every communion-season, or before 
such times as members are received upon confession of 
faith, extend an invitation to the young people (above 
the primary age) in the Sunday-school. 

3. Let him hold a " Children's Hour " through the 
week, bringing himself into personal contact with the 
boys and girls, and setting before them the Christian life 
and character. 

4. Let him become acquainted with the children in 
the homes of his congregation, talk with them, and with 
their parents about their personal salvation. 

5. The pastor and the superintendent together should 
plan and carry out the " Decision Day " service, and it 
should be the pastor's part to invite the scholars to a de- 
cision for Christ. 

6. When names have been obtained on decision cards, 
or by any other plan, the pastor should organize those 



who have pledged themselves to Christ's service into a 
class for training. With adults, the act of decision, in- 
volving repentance and consecration, is the important 
event in a soul's salvation ; but with boys and girls, the 
decision is more easily reached, and the after-training is 
the all-important process. There may be in the congre- 
gation some person who can conduct this " training class 
for young Christians " better than the pastor ; but, as a 
rule, the pastor can find no better use for an hour during 
the week than in this class. It may be made one section 
in " The Boys' and Girls' Hour," named in the third of 
these suggestions. 

7. Whatever the methods the pastor may employ in 
reaching souls, let him avoid all technical and theological 
terms, speak in plain, simple language, talk heartily and 
genially, and never too long. This caution is needed, be- 
cause a minister whose principal work must be that of 
preaching discourses of a certain length, is in great 
danger of speaking at the same length under other cir- 
cumstances, when brevity is one of the conditions of suc- 
cess. 

IV. The Parent 

After all, the key to the situation lies not in the class 
with the teacher, nor on the platform with the superin- 
tendent, nor in the pulpit with the preacher, but in the 
home, that throne of power, with the parent. There are 
two members in this factor, but they are one, and we 
deal with them as the unit. 

1. Parents should bring up their children from earliest 
years, not with the idea that they are at some future 
time, when of ripe age, to give themselves to God, but 



THE FOUR PERSONAL FACTORS 145 

that they belong to God as his children from the begin- 
ning. Every mother who teaches her child to say " Our 
Father, who art in heaven," teaches this truth ; let her 
not unteach it by giving any teaching contrary to it. 

2. The home should be the nucleus of a church in its 
character and influence, a house of prayer, of song, of 
religious service, of daily righteousness in life, of ex- 
amples which should show the child what the Christian 
life is, and draw him toward it. 

3. The parent should be quick to foster the earliest 
religious life of the child by all wise methods ; to aid the 
teacher by teaching and enforcing the lesson at home ; 
to tell Bible stories to the child ; to make it familiar with 
the history and biography of the Bible, adapted to the 
growing nature of the child. 

4. The parent should rejoice if the child, at any time 
after an age of eight or nine years, desires to unite with 
the church ; should not interpose obstacles but remove 
them, and lead the child into the church. 

5. The parent should especially nurture the young 
disciples who have united with the church ; not criticising 
them, but encouraging them ; not expecting all at once 
maturity of Christian character, but training them for 
it, and aiding in every possible way a symmetrical 
growth in grace. 

6. There are some things that parents should not do 
if they wish their children to grow up in the church ; 
and the most important is not to speak reproachfully or 
critically of the church, its members, or its ministry, in 
presence of the children. There may be defects and 
errors in the church or the minister ; but if parents speak 



14:6 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

of them in the presence of their children, they are put- 
ting up barriers in the way of their salvation hard to 
overcome. 

These are the four personal factors in the success of 
the Sunday-school: let each do his part and the great 
end of the school's effort will be achieved in the full sal- 
vation of its scholars. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE POINT OF CONTACT 

" How may we interest the older boys and girls in the 
Sunday-school lesson ? " This question is frequently 
asked at Sunday-school conventions, and many teachers 
seem to think that it can be answered by an expert in a 
sentence or two. No easy solution of this question is 
possible, otherwise it would have been answered long ago, 
and the answer have been adopted successfully by mul- 
titudes of perplexed teachers. Not infrequently as a 
partial reply to the question, the formation of a class or- 
ganization is suggested with president, secretary, outlook 
committee, entertainment committee, and the like. That 
a class organization, if conducted by a wide-awake 
teacher, interests boys and girls and often holds them to 
the Sunday-school, cannot be questioned. Whether, how- 
ever, these class organizations stimulate interest in the 
lesson as much as they do in the organization is an open 
question. They are good in themselves, I doubt not, but 
I fear that in many cases they do not result in any more 
studious attitude of the scholars toward the lesson itself. 

Why is this question not asked so often with regard to 
the younger classes ? Is it a fact that it is easier to in- 
terest younger scholars in the lesson than to interest 
those of maturer years ? I rather doubt whether this be 
a fact. Young scholars, however, are not so apt to mani- 
fest a turbulent lack of interest as are the older ones. If 

147 



148 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

uninterested they still sit quietly and apparently listen 
to what the teacher has to say. With the older ones 
lack of interest is always betokened by lack of respect- 
ful attention, and so is more marked. If the truth were 
known, it is much to be feared that many a quiet and 
apparently attentive class of the younger ones is more 
bored than interested during the half hour of lesson 
teaching. 

When we come to the root of the matter in order to 
answer the question, How to interest boys and girls in the 
lesson, we must first ask another question, namely, Why 
are these boys and girls not interested in the lesson ? 
That they are deeply interested in many things we all 
acknowledge. The boys are profoundly interested in the 
last football match in their vicinity. In our cities where 
boys have access to the daily papers, they are tremen- 
dously fascinated by the last bicycle race or boxing match. 
Girls, too, are very deeply interested in and are pro- 
foundly affected by questions which appeal to their 
natural sensibilities. The trouble is not lack of interest 
in anything, but lack of interest specifically in the Sun- 
day-school lesson. How easy it would be to teach the 
restless boy a lesson on boxing, shooting, or fishing! 

There are two reasons (among others) why our scholars 
are not interested in the Sunday-school lesson. The first 
of these, of course, is, because they do not study the les- 
son at home. For this failure, too, there are causes. 
Public school lessons are so many and so long that many 
of our scholars feel that when they are through with 
these, they have done all the studying that they want 
to. It is distasteful to them again to pickup their books. 



THE POINT OF CONTACT 149 

They had rather play or do anything under the sun in 
preference to further book work. This is not surprising 
when we consider the natural constitution of the average 
child. 

The second reason is found in the fact that they do 
not see how the lesson, which deals with events and in- 
dividuals of other lands and other centuries, has any 
bearing on their present day life, or any significance for 
them in the government of their course. Not realizing 
that there is any vital connection between David and 
Elijah and themselves, they do not feel any drawing to- 
ward the study of the lives and deeds of these in- 
dividuals. 

The third reason why many scholars do not take an 
interest in the lesson is that the home life gives them no 
assistance along this line. In too many instances the 
parents themselves are indifferent as to whether the 
child studies the Sunday-school lesson or not. In some 
instances, alas, parental influence is thoroughly antago- 
nistic, the father being skeptical, possibly immoral, and 
the mother worldly. No wonder that under such cir- 
cumstances scholars fail to feel any interest in things 
despised by their parents. These being among the 
reasons why children take no interest in the lessons, it 
behooves us to look around for such remedies as may be 
practically applied. 

Of course every teacher will endeavor by entreaty and 
persuasion to lead the scholar to study. Something can 
be done along this line, but not very much. Further- 
more, the teacher will, of course, visit in the home so as 
to secure by personal solicitation some cooperation on 



150 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the part of the mother and father in the teacher's own 
work. In cases where there are members of the Home 
Department in the homes of our scholars, it will not be 
very difficult to secure this cooperation. In other cases 
the problem is somewhat harder. Still something ma} 7 
be done along this line, and here, as everywhere else, 
every little helps, and with patience and prayer much 
may be accomplished. 

In spite, however, of all this many teachers will still 
find a lack of interest on the part of their scholars. To 
diminish this lack of interest and secure intelligent at- 
tention, something more must be done. To help us to 
realize what this " something more " is, let the teacher 
pause and try to imagine the condition of mind in which 
many scholars come to the school. This boy has been to 
a football match yesterday, and his mind is full of 
" rushes," "touch-downs," "goals kicked," etc., etc. 
Nothing in the world seems to him half as important as 
a football victory, and very possibly he has made up his 
mind that he will organize a football team among his 
own associates. Another boy went to the circus last 
night. He saw them loop-the-loop and climb spiral as- 
cents on a single wheel. These tricks are the dominant 
interest injhis life just now, and he is longing to tell what 
he has seen. Each of these boys would be perfectly 
willing to teach a lesson to the rest of the class, provided 
the theme were that which commands his present absorb- 
ing interest. 

On the other hand the teacher of the girls' class will 
find equally varied interests governing the minds of her 
scholars. One of them has just got the position of cash 



THE POINT OF CONTACT 151 

girl in some department store, and is full of her new ex- 
periences. Another one made a visit to her aunt this 
week and had a splendid time. Naturally, she wants to 
tell of what she has seen, and, perhaps, display some 
presents which fill her heart with joy. Still another girl 
is full of the fact that some young boy has begun to pay 
her rather marked attention, and while this scholar will 
not speak of this fact (holding it as a kind of sacred 
secret), still, this fact is that which interests her more 
deeply than anything else at the present time. These 
are merely illustrations of things which our scholars are 
exercised with. Probably every single scholar in many 
classes has some present interest which competes only 
too successfully with interest in the Sunday-school les- 
son. The teacher who fails to take these facts into con- 
sideration will, by just so much, fail to do the best work 
possible in her class. 

If the teacher could talk sympathetically with each 
scholar about his or her interests, it would be easy to 
claim their rapt attention, but the teacher cannot do this, 
as her main duty is to handle the lesson for the day. 

(Here we might say that the teacher who comes very 
early to the school and meets the scholars before the ses- 
sion begins can very appropriately talk with scholars 
about such themes as interest them. In that way the 
teacher wins the sympathy of the scholars, and at the 
same time allows the safety-valve to blow off some 
steam before bringing the attention of the class to the 
lesson itself.) 

What things can be done to centralize attention on the 
lesson ? We reply, by hook or by crook you must arouse 



152 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

their interest before you can command their attention. 
To do this you must establish in the minds of the scholars 
a "point of contact" between the scholar's experience 
and the lesson itself. You must come to the plane of the 
scholar before you try to lift the scholar to your plane. 
To begin to talk about Solomon or David or Peter at 
once is to lose time at the start. The beginning must be 
made with something with which the scholars are 
familiar and in which they are at least slightly interested. 
They then can be led on to the unfamiliar. Let the 
teacher always start from the known and then lead to the 
unknown. In this way victories may be won, where 
otherwise defeats are certain. 

Fortunately in nearly every lesson this course is pos- 
sible, if attention be paid to discovering the point of con- 
tact. Human experience in all ages is very much alike. 
The experiences of men living three thousand years ago 
have many points of contact with those of men living in 
the twentieth century. Joys, sorrows, hopes, fears, dis- 
appointments, victories, defeats ; these experiences are re- 
peated in every generation. Absalom, the bad boy of 
thirty centuries ago, has his counterpart in some bad boy 
known to us. The temple of Solomon stands in some 
perfectly comprehensible relation to the modern cathedral, 
and, indeed, to the very church in which your Sunday- 
school meets. It is for the teacher to discover this point 
of contact, and to begin the lesson by making it clear to 
the class. This being done, it is comparatively easy to 
go on and hold the interest of the class through the half 
hour allotted to the lesson. Since the above statements 
have been abstract, and since concrete illustrations are 



THE POINT OF CONTACT 153 

more helpful than abstract statements, we must now give 
some of these illustrations of how to use the point of con- 
tact. Some of these illustrations will be drawn from 
lessons already taught, the purpose being to let the 
teacher compare his own work with that suggested here. 
Others of these illustrations will apply to lessons in 
general in the hope that the teacher may be induced to 
make use of them, or (better still) to improve on them. 

In a lesson on Temperance, the writer once taught a 
class of girls (in the presence of their teacher), only one 
of whom had looked at the lesson. Two had lost their 
Quarterlies, and all of them, according to the teacher's 
account, were systematically uninterested. The point of 
contact in this case turned on the word " lost." Having 
found that two Quarterlies were lost, the writer put on a 
bit of paper, with a blue pencil, in large letters, the word 
" lost." Each girl read it. He then inquired about other 
things they had lost, and quite a list was given by the 
scholars. By this time their interest had become quite 
keen, since they were talking about personal experiences. 
They were then asked whether they had ever seen a 
drunken man. To this all responded affirmatively. The 
question was then put whether they had ever seen a 
drunken woman. Two had, the rest had not. The 
statement was then made that every drunken person has 
lost something, and from the scholars, by question and 
answer, it was brought out that every drunkard loses 
money, time, health, character. Each of these was writ- 
ten down with blue pencil, and each scholar asked to read 
it aloud. In this way, with added narrative, the time 
went quickly, the scholars' interest was intense, and, as a 



154 

result, one little girl voluntarily decided never again to 
drink even beer. 

In the lesson of Solomon's dream at Gibeon, the point 
of contact was found by the writer along either of two 
lines. First line, dreams. Scholars were asked about 
their dreams. This interested them. Then attention 
was called to the fact that God does not speak in dreams 
now, as he did in olden times, because we have more 
light from the Bible than Solomon or Abraham had. 
Then the class was told that we were going to study to- 
day about a very important dream of young King 
Solomon. In this way they were led from the known to 
the unknown, and from the modern to the ancient. An- 
other point of contact was used by him, namely, desires. 
The class was asked what would be their reply if their 
parents said, " What do you want for a Christmas pres- 
ent ? " Of course the interest of the class was instantly 
won, and the replies intensely given. This point of con- 
tact proved so attractive that it was easy to pass over to 
God's question to Solomon, " Ask what I shall give thee," 
and Solomon's reply. 

For the application of this lesson the word " choose " 
was written on a pad of paper, and the attention of the 
class called to the fact that we have many choices. Some 
of our choices might be called good, others might be 
called better, and still others might be called best. 
These words were then written on the pad as given be- 
low. The class was then led to see that choice for bodily 
things might be called good. They were then still 
further led to perceive that choice for intellectual things 
were better, but that, after all, choice for spiritual things, 



THE POINT OF CONTACT 155 

which are eternal, was best. The appropriate words 
were then written on the pad as given below, then the 
class was led to see that every one must choose, and the 
words " I must " were added. In this way the attention 
of the class was gained throughout, and the truth en- 
forced, that we must choose every day that which is 
either good, better, or best. 

1 must choose Good, Better, Best, 

Bodily, Mental, Spiritual. 

If the lesson be one on Jesus healing the sick I would 
suggest as point of contact our sickness and healings. 
Begin by asking how many have been sick ? Ascertain 
what the trouble was, and what the remedy was, and its 
effect. Then go on to ask whether doctors are always 
successful. Let the scholars tell of some case where the 
doctor failed. Ask whether it would not be line if we 
could have a family doctor who never failed. O.f course 
all will say yes ; then go on still further and say, that 
there was once a man in Palestine who never failed in 
his treatment of any disease. Tell them that in one 
lesson we have two cases where he healed diseases, and 
in one case he never saw the person whom he healed at 
all. Then draw out from your scholars the story of 
Jesus' marvelous work. 

In a lesson on the Transfiguration, there might be 
made several points of contact. The one we would sug- 
gest is as follows : " Of all the people that have ever 
lived whom would you most like to see ? " Some of your 
scholars will probably mention dear ones of their own, 
fathers or mothers, who have passed away ; others may 



156 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

mention George Washington, Napoleon, or some great 
national hero. If you have lately been studying about 
David, lead them to realize how fine it would be if we 
could see him and hear him sing some of his Psalms. 
Then lead by questioning to the fact, that Moses and Elijah 
were greater men than David, and it would be grander 
to see them, if we could, than to see the king of Israel. 
Now lead up to the fact that Moses and Elijah did ap- 
pear to Christ, and then draw out the lesson facts as 
given in the text. 

In all these efforts to set forth clearly the point of con- 
tact, let me assure the teacher that much help can be 
given by the simple use of pencil and block of paper in 
the presence of the class. This seems so simple a thing 
that many teachers never try it. The writer has tried it 
often, even in classes of adults, and has never found it to 
fail in interesting them and attracting and fastening their 
attention. If you find it to fail, send the writer a letter 
to that effect, and be assured that so confident is he of 
the truth of what he has said that he will be quite sur- 
prised to receive any such letter. 



CHAPTER VII 

SOME DEFECTS OF MODERN CHILD-STUDY 

Children have always been a delightful study on the 
part of parents and of those who have had much to do 
with them. In this sense, child-study (or paidology, as 
it is now called) is not a new thing. Many facts about 
childhood have been known for many centuries, such as 
the great difference between one child and another. 
This is apparent even in the same family, where one child 
is quick and bright, and the next one, born under the 
same roof and reared with the same surroundings, is dull 
and stupid. Moral qualities, also, show the same remark- 
able diversity, and we do not know at all how to account 
for these striking differences. 

At the same time, it has been a fact of common knowl- 
edge that all children have certain similarities, whether 
they be born rich or poor, and whether they are Chinese 
or Caucasian. In their mental and physical development 
we may look for progress along the same general lines. 

All these facts we say have been known since the dawn 
of civilization. But in these later days more care has 
been taken in the minute study of childhood, and the ef- 
fort is being made to know all that we can, down to the 
minutest detail, of these children whose lives we are try- 
ing to mold. In connection with this, we call attention 

157 



158 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

to the fundamental proposition on which many of these 
modern paidologists work. They believe that all chil- 
dren develop along the same lines on which they claim 
that the human race has developed. As the race (they 
say) has developed from barbarism to civilization, and 
from grosser life to more refined life, so the child develops 
from a life of animalism into civilized forms of thought 
and action. As the race loved deeds of violence at the 
start, so the child loves that which is rude and even 
violent, and develops first the ruder instincts and traits 
of character. 

From this, teachers, like Pres. G. Stanley Hall, of 
Clark University, draw the deduction that children, in 
their earlier years, or until they reach the age of adoles- 
cence, should be taught from the Old Testament and not 
from the New Testament, because the characters of the Old 
Testament were ruder and less altruistic (unselfish) than 
those of the New Testament, and these are the virtues 
that the younger children admire rather than those of the 
gentle John and the still gentler Jesus. The writer has 
heard President Hall say publicly that, on this account, 
he would not have children under fourteen years of age 
taught anything about Jesus. (Except, perhaps, at 
Christmas and Easter.) He would hold them to the lives 
of Old Testament heroes, and only let them study about 
Jesus Christ after they are fourteen years of age. 

To such depths of folly has this modern child-study, 
in one of its phases, led otherwise sensible men to fall. 
As the writer heard the argument alluded to above 
developed, he could not help thinking that it was no 
new thing. Even in the time of the Master there seem 



SOME DEFECTS OF MODERN CHILD-STUDY 159 

to have been some who vaguely thought along the 
same lines. For we are told that when certain mothers 
wished to bring their children straight to Jesus for a 
blessing, the disciples rebuked the mothers. Did they 
think for such little ones the heroes of the Old Testament 
were quite sufficient and (though they did not formally 
say so) it would be time enough for these children to 
know about Jesus when they should reach the age of 
about fourteen ? But this was not at all the mind of the 
Master, for he was much displeased, and said, "Suffer 
the little children and forbid them not to come unto me, 
for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 

Now, whatever may be the position of paidologists, 
presidents, or professors, no mother, who loves her child, 
will think for one moment of withholding from the 
little one the knowledge of the blessed Lord of the 
children as well as of adults. Wise men may theorize 
as they will, but every true Christian mother and 
teacher will do her best to bring the child, as soon as 
possible, into loving relationship with the Son of Mary. 

The fact is that little children can be trained to deeds 
of gentleness without much difficulty, and can be shown 
the grandeur of " altruism " much more readily than 
can be done in later years. The whole theory is based 
on a faulty foundation, and, therefore, much that is 
built up on it is not true to fact. Adults can be horribly 
selfish, and so can children. But children can be as 
unselfish and self-denying as any man that ever lived. 
Any one who has seen children knows this, and it is 
useless to preach to him that he must wait until a boy 
is fourteen years of age before he can expect unselfish- 



160 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT^ ANVIL 

ness to show itself, or the beautiful character of Jesus to 
be appreciated. 

We have thus dwelt on this mistake of one school of 
these modern paidologists, because many are led astray 
by their specious arguments, and so are mystified and 
perplexed, and do not know just how to teach those 
who are committed to their care. In all such cases 
mother-wit and ordinary common sense will not lead us 
astray, while too much theorizing may lead us into 
many a bog out of which it is harder to get than it was 
to get in. The simple fact is, that if our children are 
more animal and violent in their earlier years than the} r 
are at, or about, fourteen years of age, that should be 
one reason why we should all the more try and cultivate 
the gentler virtues and the altruistic spirit in them, by 
presenting such characters as that of Jesus and John 
rather than those of the sterner Old. Testament heroes. 
These can wait until a later time. 

The modern method of child-study is largely one of 
question and answer. Question papers are sent out by 
the thousand to parents and teachers of children, and 
they are asked either to have the children write their 
own answers, or to write them as the children give 
them. These are then collected and tabulated to see 
what the replies are. For example, from a Questionnaire 
on " Eeligious Experience," we take the following ques- 
tions as specimens : " Were you conscious of God's ap- 
proval when you did right, and of his disapproval when 
you did wrong ? How did this differ from the approval 
or disapproval of conscience ? In your answer to this 
question, distinguish carefully between what you then 



SOME DEFECTS OF MODERN CHILD-STUDY 161 

felt, and what you now think about it." Again, " Look 
over the marked changes in your circumstances in life, 
such as occupation, place of residence, social surroundings 
or associates, pastor, teachers, lines of study or reading, 
and tell whether changes in your religious life have 
been coincident with these other changes. State the 
direction of the change in each case." 

Again, from a Questionnaire on " Temperament," we 
take the following: "Is he a warm and intense, or cold 
and passionless soul ? Does he get angry or indignant 
easily ? Does he get over it quickly ? When he is 
angry or indignant, which of the following are char- 
acteristic of him, — (a) Eeady feeling without action ? 
(b) Intense feeling with immediate action, speech in- 
cluded ? (c) Feeling too feeble to produce very positive 
action ? (d) Tendency to brood over his indignation, 
but not to act ? (e) Tendency to plan deliberate re- 
venge, or the improvement of conditions, and action 
to that end in cool blood ? (f) Fixed and unchange- 
able aversion ? " 

Such are the kinds of questions that are asked in 
these Questionnaires by the score, and on the tabulation 
of the replies the inferences are based. 

Now it would take a philosopher, accustomed to 
analyze his feelings to the last degree of minuteness, to 
reply in any reliable way to such analytical questions. 
Not one person in a hundred is capable of doing this, 
especially as many of these questions relate to an ex- 
perience of many years past. As, for example, " State 
your age at each period of marked religious awakening 
in your life. Indicate in a word (as if that could possibly 



162 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

be done !) what each of these periods of awakening led 
to ; as, for example, conversion, sanctification, joining 
the church or being confirmed, restoration after falling, 
reconsecration after a period of coldness, etc." It must 
at a glance be manifest that not one in a hundred is 
competent to give a satisfactory reply to such questions 
as these. Of course these particular questions were not 
meant for children, but for adults, but even so, the 
replies must be most unreliable at the best. Nothing 
very permanent can be based on the replies received. 

Indeed, the doctrinaire nature of many of these ques- 
tions is apparent to any one who will thoughtfully read 
them over and try to frame a reply in his own case. 
They really seem to be wrought out of the " inward 
consciousness " of the individual who has been brooding 
over these things, and many of them hardly apply to 
real life as we find it among living men and women. 
One of these Questionnaires was sent to the writer to be 
scattered among fallen, but rescued, men. He told the 
sender that the men would not be able to understand, 
much less to reply to them. As a result of the sending 
out of this particular Questionnaire, the writer received 
but two replies, and both were the same, namely, " I do 
not understand what you are after." 

As an example of the way in which such methods of 
ascertaining the facts regarding childhood may lead us 
into error, we will adduce an effort to find out what are 
the spontaneous interests of children in the Bible. A 
Questionnaire was sent out whose design was to find out 
what children spontaneously preferred in the Bible, in 
the way of Bible scenes, Bible stories, and Bible char- 



SOME DEFECTS OF MODERN CHILD-STUDY 1G3 

acters. Bear in mind in all that follows, that the effort 
was to find out the spontaneous interest of the children 
in these things. Bear, also, in mind that the theory of 
the new school of paidology contends that the more 
violent and aggressive Bible characters are the favorites 
among children. With these two fundamental facts in 
view, we find ourselves much surprised when the most 
favorite character is not one of the "stronger" heroes 
of the Old Testament, but John the Evangelist. Out of 
a total of 981 votes, John received 152, while next to 
him came the Apostle Peter with 125 votes, and then 
came Jesus with 114 votes. 

As the writer came on this list, he found himself 
wondering why so many votes were cast for the most 
gentle of the disciples, when they ought to have been 
cast for some hero like Daniel, or Gideon. It then 
occurred to him to find out at what time the Question- 
naire was sent out. He found that it went out about 
the end of the year 1899. Then it further occurred to 
him to look and see what the International Lessons were 
dealing with about that time. He found that during 
the first six months of 1899 we were studying the 
Gospel of John. Then he at once saw the reason why 
the Apostle John had captured the major part of the votes. 
It was simply because the scholars for six months in 
that year had had John, John, John dinned into them. 
So their votes did not represent at all their spon- 
taneous interest in Bible characters, but that interest 
that teachers had impressed on them for half of a year. 

Of the 981 votes cast for the most popular persons in 
the Bible, 476 were for persons about whom the Sunday- 



164 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

school lessons of that year had been teaching. This 
shows that the scholars gave for the most part those 
characters of whom they had been most recently study- 
ing. But if this is the case, what becomes of the effort 
to get at their spontaneous interest in Bible char- 
acters ? 

Another set of the questions dealt with the favorite 
Bible scenes. Here, too, we see that what the pupils 
had just been over, influenced, if it did not absolutely 
dominate, their choices. Here, 674 votes were cast for 
fifteen different scenes. Of these, ten scenes are from 
that part of the Word that the scholars had been study- 
ing within the year, and for these 505 of the votes were 
cast. Two of these scenes were the Raising of Lazarus, 
and the Woman at the Well, and these are found only 
in the Gospel of John, which was the Gospel studied that 
year. 

For the Bible stories there were 720 votes cast, divided 
among fifteen different stories. Here the Selling of 
Joseph was the most popular, receiving 147 votes. The 
lessons for 1899 had not touched on that story. But 
before we conclude that this vote shows the spon- 
taneous interest of the voters, we must look further. 
If we do this, we find that the most popular stories are 
just those that have been most frequently and most 
vividly illustrated in picture Bibles, and colored stories 
of Bible scenes. See the stories that got votes, and you 
will realize the truth of what we say. David and 
Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh's Daughter, Story of Kuth, 
Noah's Ark, The Prodigal Son, The Calling of Samuel, 
Samson and the Philistines. Now every child has had 



SOME DEFECTS OF MODERN" CHILD-STUDY 165 

picture-books with these stories as the basis for the illus- 
trations. And, of course, they have remembered the 
narrative. 

The more one studies into the true inwardness of these 
Questionnaires, the more puzzled one becomes, and the 
more doubtful one is of their reliability in reflecting the 
desires of childhood at large. For example, in the 
Questionnaire that we have been considering we find 
that the answers to the questions that went out were 
divided equally among boys and girls, of the ages from 
eight to twenty inclusive. It is easy to see that this 
division would give replies from forty boys and forty girls 
of each year of age (i.e., forty each from those eight years 
old, and the same number from those nine years old, 
etc.). Now it seems to us beyond controversy that to 
base general conclusions on the answers of forty boys, 
for all boys of the same age, is to build on a very slender 
foundation. A much larger number should be taken of 
each age grade before we can make any reliable generali- 
zation. This fact by itself should undermine many of 
the conclusions which the author has reached. For to 
base conclusions about all boys ten years of age, from 
the answers of forty boys of that age to certain ques- 
tions, is hardly allowable. 

Another peculiarity of some of these paidologists is to 
be found in the fact that they dwell far too much in 
their study of child-nature on freaks and neurotic chil- 
dren, who are wholly abnormal in their development. 
In the "Spiritual Life," by Dr. Coe, we see this illus- 
trated at considerable length. This gives to the reader 
a one-sided view of the truth, and unless he is on his 



166 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

guard, he will be misled. In this some of these paidolo- 
gists are like certain penologists, who look on all men 
as more or less criminal in their tendencies. Such men 
become one-sided and unsafe in their teaching, and mis- 
lead the average teacher who has to do with wholesome 
children. The impression made by the setting forth of 
abnormal children is like that which is made on the 
mind when much attention is paid to hypnotism, and 
occult theories of subliminal consciousness, and the like. 
However proper these discussions may be for the psy- 
chological laboratory, they are out of place in the study 
of the average Sunday-school teacher. 

We have thus dwelt at length on some of the defects 
of the modern paidology, in order to sound a note of 
warning, lest teachers reading these modern works 
should be led astray by some of their conclusions. We 
feel quite sure that the results of no Questionnaire 
should be accepted unless the Questionnaire itself be put 
to the test and be in turn questioned. Only in this way 
can true conclusions be separated from those which are 
false. He who indiscriminately follows the conclusions 
of any of the modern school of paidologists will have 
cause to rue the day when he put himself into their 
hands. 



CHAPTEE VIII 

THE EARLY CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS 

The early conversion of children is my theme in this 
chapter. It needs to be repeated a thousand times, that 
the Sunday-school teacher has two paramount aims in all 
her work. One is the conversion of those scholars who 
are not the Lord's children, and the other, the upbuild- 
ing in all Christian graces of those who have given them- 
selves to God. All else in our work is, or should be, 
subsidiary to these two aims. That this is often not the 
case the writer knows well. But in all such cases the 
teacher has simply lost sight of that which is of the high- 
est importance, and is really frittering away golden op- 
portunities. 

If in any Sunday-school a year or two passes without 
any of the scholars uniting with the church, be sure that 
there is something radically wrong with that school. 
Teachers are not faithful in their dealings with their 
scholars, or they would most certainly have such a bless- 
ing from God as would bring some of their members into 
the church. 

At what age may scholars be converted? — This is a 
question often asked. To this we reply, at any age. It 
is possible for a child to be converted at so tender an age 
that we really do not know when the divine life was be- 
gun. Where parents consecrate their children to God 
from their birth (and in some cases before their birth) it 

167 



168 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

may well be that the child is filled with the Spirit from 
his earliest days. But this is not the experience in most 
cases. In our Sunday-schools the vast majority of 
scholars, as they come to the school, are manifestly not 
" born again." Many of them (especially in mission 
schools) come from utterly godless families, and the 
children are sent to Sunday-school as much to get rid of 
them as for any other purpose. But, alas ! in many cases 
where the child comes from a Christian home the mat- 
ter of the " new birth " has not been much thought of, 
and the child is evidently not one of the Lord's own. 

In such cases how soon may we expect the child to be 
converted ? We can lay down no rule here ; but this we 
will say, " You should work for this blessed change at 
once, knowing that the Holy Spirit is willing to come 
into any human heart, and that the child is just as likely 
to receive him as the adult. Samuel and Daniel and 
Timothy are proofs that in its very early years a child 
may be a true follower of God. And in our days there 
are many instances where very young children have 
given good evidence of the in working of the Divine 
Spirit." 

Yet in spite of this, there are very many teachers who 
work on with no definite idea as to what is their great 
aim. If you were to meet such a teacher on her way to 
Sunday-school, and ask her, " What do you propose to 
aim for to-day ? " her reply would probably be, " I am 
going to try and teach the lesson to my class." 

Were you to push the question still further, and ask, 
" What is your final aim in this teaching of the lesson ? " 
the reply would probably be more or less vague. Of 



THE EARLY CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS 169 

course, all teaching will hit only that at which it aims, and, 
if it aims at nothing definite, it will hit nothing. So if 
any teacher does not aim definitely at the conversion of 
her class, she cannot well expect to reach any such blessed 
result as having her scholars unite with the church. 

But some teachers even take the ground that they can- 
not expect their scholars to accept Christ while they are 
still so young. As a teacher once said to the writer, 
" You don't suppose that my scholars are old enough to 
be converted ! " Yet her scholars were over nine years 
of age. All such teachers think that their scholars will 
be converted " some time." And under that vague phrase 
they hide a kind of skeptical belief that " some time " is 
certainly not " to-day." This false creed again reacts on 
their practice, and the result is that their scholars are not 
urged to accept the Lord as their Saviour and Master 
" now." 

Now, in the face of all such false feeling, the experi- 
ence of tried workers all the world over proves that just 
at these only years of childhood is the time when we may 
most confidently expect conversions among our Sunday- 
school scholars. From seven to eighteen years of age 
are the golden years for work of this kind with children. 
For, while there are true conversions under the age of 
seven and over the age of eighteen, the vast 'majority of 
those who give their hearts to God is found among those 
between the ages mentioned. Lately at the State Sun- 
day-school Convention in JSTew York my attention was 
strongly directed to this matter. Since then I have 
pursued the theme constantly, and have tried many ex- 
periments in various places. The first of these was at a 



170 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 



meeting of the New York Presbytery. There were 
about one hundred and forty men present, all ministers 




'*J*7 R 9 10 11 12 13 M- IS Ifi /7 /* /<? 21) PI 22L222& 



AGE OF DECISIVE RELIGIOUS AWAKENING OF 84 MEAT 



1 f ( 

«, 1 c 

<b 1 v 

2 \ t 

'Ol 1 

C>l Is 
h\ 1 * 






_r 




















/ 


















i- 






\ 




















7 


\ A 












1 








T 


\A 




















K 


V 


















/ 


XT 


1F- J 




















ir 




v 






















\ 
















A 






w 














12 


'V 






/ 


I 












V 


7 










\ 










. 


r 












V 





Nrf 


•■fcrf 


bt 


5 j 


? /0 /- 


? /4 // 


? //J P 


d^A 


*? 


*?/ 


7 il 


rM 


?a 





AGE OF CONVERSION OF 272 MEMBERS OF ROCK RIVER 
CONFERENCE 

or elders. All were asked to rise who had been con- 
verted at or under sixteen years of age. Of those pres- 



THE EARLY CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS 171 

ent about one hundred and twenty at once rose to their 
feet. All present were much surprised at this result, for 
they had not expected to see such a majority testifying 
to their early conversion. 

Another time the same question was put to a gather- 
ing of teachers in New York City, of all denominations. 
The same result followed, the great majority rising to 
testify that they had been converted at or under sixteen 
years of age. There were at that gathering three minis- 
ters as speakers. They were personally asked to tell the 
ages of their conversion. One answered, " I was con- 
verted at thirteen years of age." Another said, " I was 
converted at twelve years of age," while the last said that 
he was converted at fourteen years of age. 

The writer has tried the same experiment in Brooklyn 
at a large convention of teachers, in Albany, in Saratoga, 
and in Ossining, and in all these cases with the same re- 
sult. All this teaches us that the vast majority of our 
Sunday-school workers are the result of child-conversion. 
If any who read this article do not quite trust these 
statements, let them try the experiment for themselves at 
the very next convention that the} 7 - attend, and they will- 
need no further argument or facts in the case. They 
will then know for themselves that, so far as the present 
corps of workers in the church is concerned, they were 
brought to the Lord in the days of their early youth. 

Further proof of the statement that we may expect 
more conversions at the ages above mentioned is found 
in the numerous tables that have been made showing the 
ages of conversion of large numbers of people. These 
have been tabulated, so as to set forth to the eye most 



172 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

clearly the results of these inquiries. They are most in- 
teresting and instructive. Look carefully, for example, 
at the charts that we give above. They are taken 
from " The Spiritual Life," by Prof. George A. Coe. 
One chart begins at the age of six, and the other at the 
age of seven. In each case notice that at the age of nine 
or ten there is quite a marked increase of conversions. 
Then again at the ages of twelve and thirteen the rise is 
still more marked. But at sixteen and seventeen years 
of age the line marking conversions rises most startlingly. 
After that age the lines in both charts fall steadily and 
soon show very few conversions at all. Charts like these 
(of which many have been produced by various authors, 
and all with substantially the same showing) are food for 
most serious thought. They show us how God's Spirit 
has actually worked among those whose story is thus re- 
corded, and there is no reason to doubt that the same 
Spirit is willing to work in the same w r ay in your own 
Sunday-school. 

If now any teacher should ask the question, Why are 
there so few conversions after seventeen years of age ? 
the reply would be about as follows : When our boys 
and girls reach that age (with girls the experience would 
come about one year sooner) they find themselves enter- 
ing on a new and most entrancing life. About that time 
it is that girls and boys begin to " keep company " with 
each other. The attraction of the sexes is most potent, 
and begins to drive out other thoughts and desires. 
This is as it should be, for it is one of nature's provisions. 
But its influence on the religious aspirations of the boy 
or girl is none the less marked on that account. If they 



THE EARLY CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS 173 

have accepted the Lord before that time, they stand fast 
in their profession, and the very fact that they are Chris- 
tians tends to keep them steady ; but, if they are not yet 
believers, these counter-attractions tend to draw them 
away from the Sunday-school, and, indeed (for a time), 
from all distinctly religious thought. All teachers know 
how hard it is to hold boys and girls of this age in the class. 

But as the years advance a little more the girl begins 
to look forward to married life, and the boy has to begin 
to look out for his living. These thoughts preoccupy 
their minds, and they think that they have no time for 
religious matters. They begin to drift away more and 
more from the Sunday-school and the church itself, until 
many of them are lost to all religious influences. This is 
the story of many thousands of our Sunday-school 
scholars, and it is a most sad one. 

These facts underlie an appeal issued by the New York 
State Sunday-school Association to all workers in that 
state. In this appeal they say, " The average period dur- 
ing which Sunday-school scholars attend Sunday-school 
is not over ten years (say from six to sixteen). 

" The report of the New York State Sunday-school 
Association indicates that down to 1900, on an average, 
less than two per cent, of the scholars a year, or less 
than twenty per cent, in ten years (that is, less than one- 
fifth of all), accept Christ while in the Sunday-school. 
After they leave, the statistics of conversion indicate that 
only about one-fifth more accept him during the entire 
balance of their lives, making in all only two-fifths of 
them that we have any reason to hope do so before they 
die. 



174 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

" At present, since Decision Day has been largely 
adopted, the report of 1901 indicates that the rate of con- 
versions in the Sunday-schools has about doubled ; so that, 
if the present rate continues, somewhat under two-fifths 
of the scholars would accept Christ while in Sunday- 
school. After they leave, if we add another fifth for 
those who accept him in after life, we have somewhat less 
than three-fifths (about fifty-six per cent.) in all, and it is 
evident that these are more than we can reasonably hope 
will have accepted Christ to the end of their lives. But 
what of the other two-fifths (848,000 scholars) who are 
going down to Christless graves and to a Christless 
eternity ? " 

These are most serious facts for the Christian worker 
to face. — In view of them, does it not behoove us to do 
what lies in our power to remedy the deficiencies in our 
Sunday-schools ? It seems to the writer that the imme- 
diate duty of all teachers is at once to begin to pray for 
the conversion of their scholars as they never have done 
before. Many teachers, especially those who have just 
begun their work, hardly realize that it is their duty to 
pray for the scholars by name, frequently, and that their 
pra3^er should be specifically for their conversion. Of 
course, the failure to realize the need or the possibility of 
conversion leads to a neglect of specific effort to secure 
that conversion. Many teachers never speak to the 
scholars personally about this matter. The natural con- 
sequence is that the number of converts from the Sunday- 
school is not by any means as large as it should be or as 
it might be. 

This leads us to urge teachers to pray, to work for, and 



THE EARLY CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS 175 

to expect the " new birth " in the case of each scholar. 
The Holy Spirit is ever ready and anxious to cooperate 
with each teacher in this blessed work. Without his aid 
all our work is vain. But with his cooperation we may 
assuredly expect blessed results. This is one of the great 
advantages in the right use of Decision Day. It leads 
teachers to put forth definite effort for a definite result, 
and as a natural consequence they meet with much suc- 
cess. No school tries this plan honestly without feeling 
that it has been the right thing to do. Not that we are 
to wait until Decision Day comes, but that if anything 
has hindered us in making the requisite effort, that day 
brings home to us the duty and responsibility of our 
office as teachers. 

But will the child-converts hold out ? — This is a ques- 
tion often asked. In reply we ask, " Do adult converts 
always hold out?" Certainly not. But that is no 
reason for not trying to reach the adults. Now, though 
not all " child-converts " hold out, it yet is true that pro- 
portionately more hold out who are converted in their 
early years than of those converted in adult years. This 
is the testimony of many of our most active pastors. It 
is the testimony of the writer as well, who has had much 
to do with children who have given their hearts to the 
Master. 

Of course, in all such cases the duty of the careful 
oversight of the child-believer must not be forgotten. 
He is a lamb of the fold, and lambs must be carefully 
tended. But this is a blessed duty, and all who have 
tried to fulfil it have reaped a rich harvest in the grow- 
ing activity of those who have confessed Christ in their 



176 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

youth. And yet just here is where many make a grave 
mistake. As soon as the child has been received into 
the church they think that the end has been reached. 
So they neglect doing anything more for the child, and 
he is left to his own devices. This is most reprehensible. 
Instead of all being done, all has only just been begun- 
Now follows the lifelong task of training for service, 
and, if this be done, there will follow the useful Chris- 
tian life. 

That all that has been said above is most important is 
apparent as soon as we realize that the church of the 
future is to be made up of the children of the present. 
Look thoughtfully at your primary classes. The church 
of forty years from now is to be made up of members 
of just such classes. If these fail, the church of the 
future fails with them. Does not this show the immense 
importance of bringing these little ones into the fold 
of the blessed Shepherd before they have strayed away 
on the barren hills and have been lost ? If it does not do 
this, then nothing on earth can. 



BOOK III 
The School or How We Teach 



CHAPTER I 

THE WIDENING HORIZON 

My theme now is the workers' widening horizon. — 
This theme I will put in a sort of autobiographical form 
for the sake of clearness, and simply because it may help 
others to see how in the case of one Sunday-school worker 
the horizon, originally very narrow, widened and widened 
again, until it became international. 

My first Sunday-school class was one that I took while 
in college, and it involved a walk of five miles there and 
back. There was sufficient earnestness to lead the 
teacher to go to his class, even when he had to wade 
through snow-drifts up to his waist. So far as I re- 
member the weather never kept me from the class. I 
had a class of boys and was interested in them, but I 
had no idea that the class was a part of a larger school, 
and the school as a whole never interested me much. 
I never came to know other teachers in the school, and 
no one ever made any effort to make us acquainted. I 
had never been taught that the main aim of every 
teacher was the conversion of his scholars, and after that 
their upbuilding in religious life. So I aimed to make 

177 



178 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the lesson story of the day clear and interesting, and 
them I ceased all further effort. I did not know whether 
any of my scholars were Christians, and I am ashamed 
to say it never occurred to me that I ought to find out. 
Alas ! what ignorance ! 

After entering work as a city missionary, it became 
my duty to superintend my own Sunday-school. Then 
my horizon soon widened, and I saw many things of 
which I had not dreamed before. I saw that a school 
is made up of many classes, and that the school is 
greater than any one class. The interests of the school 
were vaster than those of the individual class, and at 
times must override the class. I saw, too, that to make 
a school good there must be more than individual class 
teaching. There was the music that must be made good 
musically and helpful spiritually. There is a difference 
between a concert and Sunday-school singing. The one 
is for pleasure only, the other for spiritual uplift. I saw 
that the matter of the records of the school was an im- 
portant one, and that there were many ways of keeping 
the record, some good and some bad. The best one had 
to be selected and put into practice. As a matter of 
fact, we devised our own method and had our own 
record books prepared. Now every school need not do 
this, but in our case it was truly necessary. 

Then there was the library. — It was in a shocking 
condition. The books were worn out, and many of them 
not at all suited to the needs of our scholars. It was 
useless to buy books that the scholars would not call for. 
So much time and care were given to making a judicious 
selection. The result was that the library began to do 



THE WIDENING HORIZON 179 

the work that it never did before, and the scholars began 
to read what was provided for them. 

Then came up the question of the proper grading of 
the school. It had not been carefully attended to, so 
that scholars of very uneven ages were found in the same 
class. This was a most delicate matter, as we found 
that " feeling " was often to be taken into account. We 
found out, however, what the best principles of grading 
were, and slowly and with much tact applied them to 
our school, with the result that before long all the 
teachers found that they were working with much more 
ease than ever before, and those who had opposed grad- 
ing now praised it as much as did the others. 

Then came the question of the blackboard and plat- 
form review. We had never seen any school in which 
these were used. But it seemed needful to adopt both, 
as a means of enforcing the teaching in the classes. So 
a blackboard was secured, and the platform review was 
commenced. It was found that both were a great help 
to the school, and now no one in the school would for 
one moment counsel abandoning them. For, with the 
blackboard, much can be done to assist the teacher, 
which he cannot well do for himself with the limitations 
that exist in the ordinary class. 

Oh, but the widening of our horizon went on apace ! — 
It soon became apparent that the school needed a 
teachers' meeting, not only for purposes of business, but 
even more for the study of what we were to teach, and 
how we were to teach it. So such a meeting was in- 
augurated, and has been kept up to this day. Not all 
the teachers ever attend, but all have a chance to do so, 



180 

and all are urged to come. Those who do come are 
helped, and, of course, their classes receive the benefit 
that the teacher derives from the meeting. An ideal 
school would be one in which all the teachers meet each 
week and together study the lesson, and then in the 
main school teach the same general points, so that the 
platform review could cover them again in their outline. 

Furthermore, we found as never before, that the main 
aim of the teacher should be the conversion of the scholar, 
and then his upbuilding in the Christian life. Toward 
this we then began to bend our energies. Much prayer 
and effort were expended to reach these two important 
results, and with God's blessing we met with much suc- 
cess. For while when we took the school there were 
but two per cent, of the school (exclusive of the primary 
department) that were members of the church, in a few 
years we had thirty-six per cent, that were members of 
the church. Everything possible was done to build up 
these church-members in their most holy faith, and not 
without success. 

Another thing that soon attracted our attention was the 
lack of real order in the school. There was much late 
coming, and the doors were ever ajar. This was an evil 
that we had thought was necessary. We soon found out 
our mistake. So we began to plan to remedy it, and the 
result was a most blessed transformation. We now had 
quiet and order while we were worshiping, and the 
further result was that the teachers could do better work 
than they formerly did. The school responded to our 
call and tardiness soon grew less and less. For instance, 
one Sunday out of a total attendance of 579 there were 



THE WIDENING HORIZON 181 

only twenty-nine who were late. All who visit the school 
comment on this small percentage of late comers and at 
the quiet way in which they come in when the doors are 
opened at stated times, w r hile the whole school does 
nothing but wait quietly for them to take their seats. 
By the by, outside of the doors there is a sign setting 
forth in large letters " I am early." This hangs thus un- 
til the school is called to order. Then it is at once 
reversed, and now it reads " I am late." This text the 
late comers have to study while they w r ait until the doors 
are opened for them to steal to their seats. 

So from time to time we found our horizon widening. 
— But all this time our horizon did not extend beyond 
the boundary lines of our own school. We acted in all 
our work just as though there were no other school in the 
city or the world. In due time, however, it began to 
dawn on us that there were other schools besides our 
own. There were, in fact, four hundred of them in our 
own city. We seemed to be impressed with the fact that 
we had some relations to these schools. There was a 
Sunday-school Association in the city, of w r hich it seemed 
that we should form an active part. They had much to 
teach us, and it might be that we had some things that 
we could teach them. At all events we felt that we ought 
to be a part of that larger army of Sunday-school workers, 
who were trying to make our city better. So we threw 
in our forces with them. Of course, there w r ere expenses 
connected with this association, and the schools had to 
meet them. It was only right that our school should 
share the burden. So in our budget the amount that we 
thought right was appropriated to that purpose, and it 



182 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

has been paid in each year since. Meetings that were 
held for the enlargement of the Sunday-school horizon 
were attended, and in this way much good was gained, 
and it may be some good was imparted. At all events, 
we felt that it was good to have a broader horizon than 
that which we had enjoyed before. 

At the same time we noticed that some of the schools 
of the city did not feel in the same way, and neither at- 
tended such meetings as the city association held, nor 
contributed to the needful expense. But these schools 
seemed to fall behindhand in efficiency. They were nar- 
row and shriveled. What they needed was to broaden 
out, or they could not possibly grow as they should do. 
" There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there 
is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to 
poverty." So we found that the broadening of our 
horizon, while it called for time and money, repaid us a 
thousandfold. We could not have grown as we did, had 
we confined our efforts to our own individual school. In 
broadening, we found our own great advantage. 

But this was not all. — Up to this time we had not 
thought of the State of New York in which we lived at 
all. We acted as though there were no Sunday-schools 
outside of our own city. Presently it began to dawn on 
us that there was a State Sunday-school organization, 
which covered the whole state, and that so far, we had 
had no relationship with that larger work. Evidently 
this was not as it should be. The state was doing much 
for the improvement of Sunday-school methods in many 
lines, and it was also sending missionaries to destitute 
parts of the state to start new Sunday-schools, or to 



THE WIDENING HOEIZON 183 

revive those that for various causes had fallen on sleep. 
This was a much-needed work. Then there was the 
great Annual Meeting of the State Organization, at 
which the very best speakers were secured, and who 
gave of their rich experience, for the benefit of all. We 
had not been in touch at all with this wider work, and, as 
a consequence, our horizon was not as wide as it should be. 

The result was that we " geared " our machinery into 
this wider work, and became a part of the larger work. 
Just as we had learned that the individual school is 
larger than the single class, and that the city was larger 
than any one Sunday-school, so we now learned that the 
State was larger even than the great city of New York, 
and that to the State we owed much, and from the State 
we might learn much. So we became a part of the 
larger work. Here, too, of course, there was expendi- 
ture to be met, and the State had no one to look to for 
this but the individual schools. Our school was, there- 
fore, swung into line, and from that day to this it has 
given regularly to the State work. We have sent dele- 
gates to the State convention, and have felt that we were 
a part of a very large movement for the uplifting of our 
own State, in things spiritual. 

But even the Empire State has something larger than 
itself to look after. This, too, we learned in due time. 
There is the International Sunday-school work, repre- 
sented by the International Sundaj^-school Association, 
and this is a work of the highest importance. At the 
first International Convention that we ever attended, at 
Atlanta, Ga., we were much surprised to see so many 
delegates from all over the Union, all of whom had paid 



184 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

their own expenses. None of these men had anything to 
gain, politically or financially. Indeed, many of these 
came at very great sacrifice of time and money. Well do 
we remember the uplift that the State of Georgia gained 
from that convention. On the wall there was a huge 
map of the United States. Each State that was or- 
ganized had a large gilt star on it, and in each State each 
organized county was similarly marked with a small star. 
Georgia had no star, large or small. On the third day 
we came to the convention, and lo ! Georgia was covered 
with a large piece of gilt paper. Then some one from 
that State explained that they were ashamed that they 
were not organized for Sunday-school work, and that 
they covered the State with gilt paper, to show that they 
meant to organize the whole State just as soon as possible. 
The next International Convention came three years 
later at Toronto. In the meantime, Georgia had organ- 
ized, and that State appeared at Toronto with seventy- 
two delegates, headed by their governor. Truly, the Inter- 
national Convention in Atlanta had done wonders for 
that State. Probably in no other way could the same 
amount of good have been done in the way of Sunday- 
school progress in that State. The fact is, that wher- 
ever the International Convention goes, it wakens the 
State in which it is held to better and larger work. In 
this way the International work is an International 
blessing that it would be hard to overestimate. The 
last one that was held in Louisville stirred that city to its 
depths, and did an incalculable amount of good. Our 
own school had two delegates there, and it did them 
good and did the school good as well. 



THE WIDENING HORIZON 185 

But this International work stretches out to foreign 
lands. It reaches England, France, India, Australia, 
New Zealand. Conventions have been held in London 
more than once, to which hundreds of delegates from 
the States have gone. In 1904 there was a vast Inter- 
national Convention held in Jerusalem, to which more 
than seven hundred delegates went from the States and 
Canada. Besides this, a shipload went from England 
and the Continent. The next one was held in Rome, 
the Eternal City. Thus the Sunday-school movement 
has world-wide relations, and does an incalculable 
amount of good. Indeed, I think it may be truly said 
that no other movement in the modern world has in it 
the promise of vast usefulness that is found in the Sun- 
day-school movement. To be a part of that vast army 
is a grand thing, and to help along all that it stands for 
is a great privilege. 

There remains only one more widening of the horizon 
that we can now see. That will come in the day when 
all things are made clear. Then we shall see, as now it 
is not possible for us to see, that the Sunday-school 
movement is not only International but Inter-mundane. 
It stretches out into the world that is to come. It lays 
hold on heaven as well as on this world. For in that 
last great Convention, when the ransomed of the Lord 
shall gather, it will be seen that a vast army of the re- 
deemed have come out of the ranks of the great Sunday- 
school army of which your school and mine are a part. 
Then we shall see how vast is the horizon which we 
should have, even here and now. Only eternity can 
tell how great the opportunity and the privilege of be- 



186 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

longing to this great host, and doing our best to make 
the banners of this army march victoriously forward. 

How stands it with your school, my reader? — Have 
you any such horizon as we have here indicated ? Or 
are you still bound down merely to the consideration of 
the interest of your own individual school? If this 
latter be the case, is it not time for you to awake ? Or 
if your superintendent and pastor are asleep, is it not 
your privilege to arouse them, and try to lead them into 
the large privilege of this truly grand International 
Sunday-school field ? Ought not your Sunday-school to 
have a delegate at the next State Convention, and at the 
next International Convention which is to be held in 
San Francisco, in the spring of 1911 ? "Will your school 
be any worse off if it gears itself into this larger move- 
ment and feels the pulse of the grand onward sweep of 
the Sunday-school cause ? Surely, you will be more oi 
a gainer than you at present realize if you, in the way 
indicated, broaden your horizon. 



CHAPTER II 

ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 

Note. — The following is by J. W. Miles, president of the " Organized 
Bible Class Union," and is most suggestive. It will appeal to all who 
have adult classes, whether of men or women. 

In the realm of facts it appears to be established : 

(a) That of the present church-membership in the 
United States between eighty and ninety per cent, re- 
ceived religious instruction as children in the Bible 
Schools. 

(i) That as large a proportion were converted at or 
previous to seventeen years of age. (Out of 1,784 cases 
of Christian men examined the average age of conversion 
was found to be 16.4. — Dr. McKinney's " The Child for 
Christ" page 50.) 

(c) That in the State of New York, previous to the 
year 1901, about twenty per cent, of the Bible School pop- 
ulation united with the church while members of the 
schools, and about twenty per cent, after leaving the 
schools. 

{d) That since the year 1901, by reason of the wide 
adoption of Decision Day and the especial evangelistic 
work of the State Sunday-school Association, the pro- 
portion of conversions has apparently largely increased, 
so that now it is estimated that about forty per cent, of 
the Bible School population are being received into 
church-membership. 

187 



188 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

This means then : 

(1) That the Bible School of to-day is the church of to- 
morrow and, therefore, the most important department 
in the evangelistic work of the church. 

(2) That the great harvest field for conversions is 
among the young. 

(3) That even with the observance of days of decision 
in the schools, there remain about forty out of every 
hundred that, as far as we know, are not saved. 

For those who really desire the conversion of souls 
(and what sincere Christian does not ?) the above state- 
ments are of tremendous importance. While the average 
age of conversion is between sixteen and seventeen 
years, the age at which scholars resign from the Bible 
School, because they think they are too old, is between 
fourteen and eighteen years. Or, in other words, at the 
period of life when the scholar is most apt to decide for 
Christ, he is also most apt to resign from the school and 
its influences. It is at this point that the larger part of 
the forty per cent, loss to the church occurs, and, there- 
fore, it is the weak spot in our Bible School work. How 
shall we strengthen it ? 

Thus far there has been no better or more practical 
method devised than that of the organized class ; and re- 
ports from schools where the organized class has been 
properly established seem to prove that it is serving well 
its beneficent purpose of restraining resignations. It 
provides for the young men and young women oppor- 
tunities naturally demanded by their rapidly developing 
powers, at an age when without such recognition they 
would be most apt to resign from the school. Hereto- 



ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 189 

fore the young people have had no place of their own in 
the Bible School. They were too old, or thought them- 
selves too old, to be classed as children, and too young to 
feel much sympathy or camaraderie in the Bible class 
for elders and deacons. The fact is, we older ones have 
forgotten the feelings and desires that we experienced at 
that age, and failing to put ourselves in their places have 
also failed to provide for them a recognition meeting their 
requirements. 

When the writer was a lad he knew an inventor who 
originated many brilliant mechanical conceptions. And 
these conceptions were not of the " perpetual motion " 
order, but practical and along the line of machines for 
the cheaper production of necessary articles. Few of 
these machines, however, reached completion, but those 
that did were finished, when possible, by other hands 
than his. The difficulty was that the inventor would 
carry out his conception nearly to completion, and then 
fascinated with a new idea he would abandon the old 
work, well advanced, perhaps, but incomplete. Is not 
this about what we have been doing in our Bible Schools ? 
We take the little ones into our Beginner's Department 
and, with loving care and labor, carry them through the 
Primary and Junior grades, until, at last, they reach the 
main schoolroom. There they remain two or three years 
longer, perhaps, and then resign, for there is ordinarily 
no further promotion. We begin well, but apparently 
fail just before completion, as the inventor did with his 
mechanical conceptions. A railroad of fifty miles be- 
tween two cities would be a most unsatisfactory thing if 
the last ten miles had no grading, no road-bed, and no 



190 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

rails. For a vast number of our young people in the 
Bible School the road from the city of earth to the city 
of heaven lacks completion in the last ten miles. All 
through his school experience the scholar has been under 
the stimulus and hope of future promotion, but just at the 
age when this stimulus is most needed it is taken from 
him. His interest grows cold when he reaches a grade 
that holds no promise of further advancement and he 
resigns from the school. Under these circumstances the 
wonder is not that there is a loss of forty or fifty per 
cent, to the church, but that there is not a loss of 
seventy-five or eighty per cent. 

How shall we make our work more perfect and com- 
plete ? 

The answer to this question appears to be given by the 
organized class for young people. Toward his promo- 
tion into this class the boy looks with eager anticipation. 
It is the token of his graduation out of childhood into 
young manhood. In such a class, bound in fellowship 
with companions of his approximate age, he loses his re- 
pugnance for the school as a place for children only, and 
finds a sufficient shield for the oversensitiveness regard- 
ing his youth that belongs to all boys in the transition 
stage between boyhood and manhood. Class organiza- 
tion recognizes his individuality, provides room for per- 
sonal participation, and bestows a sense of personal pos- 
session. It is his own department in the Bible School. 
As a member of such a class with its appropriate measure 
of autonomy he is satisfied. It is what he wants. 
Further, it is what he ought to have. It is his right. 

Teachers, let us meet our young people on their own 



ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 191 

ground, and by providing for them an organized class, 
show that we neither look upon them as children nor 
fail to appreciate their right to a special and distinctive 
section in the Bible School economy. 

ROUND TABLE ON ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES FOR 
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN 

Question. — What is an organized Bible class ? 

Answer. — An organized Bible class is one having a 
president and other officers chosen periodically by and 
from its own members. 

Q. — What are the advantages of an organized Bible 
class ? 

A. — (a) Scholars, especially in the adolescent stage, 
like to belong to something of their own in which the 
developing altruistic sense may have room for exercise 
among their fellows. The " gang instinct" draws them 
together, and stimulates a class spirit of fraternal union. 
" Our Class " has a much deeper and stronger meaning 
to them than " Our School." Young people of seventeen 
or eighteen years or over are attached to the school, if at 
all, by a thread ; they are fastened to their own or- 
ganized class by a rope. 

(b) Interest in anything grows in proportion to our 
participation. There is a sense of personal responsibility 
attached to an office, and of the same kind, though lesser 
in degree, to the vote that elects an officer. Young 
America eats, sleeps, and breathes democracy. He wants 
a voice in things. From his point of view arbitrary 
government belongs to childhood. The consciousness of 
his developing strength must find somewhere opportuni- 



192 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

ties for expression. If there is no organized class to 
gratify his natural desire, interest fades, and resignation 
follows. He quits. 

(c) Other things being equal there is no greater in- 
centive for culture than the stimulus of association. Far 
more can be accomplished for the individual if others are 
with him in the pursuit of either physical, mental, or 
spiritual development (Prov. 27 : 17). Association creates 
in the gymnasium a physical atmosphere, in the college 
an intellectual atmosphere, and in the organized Bible 
class a spiritual atmosphere. 

Q. — Is the organized class a " club " ? 

A. — The organized Bible class is not a " club." Its 
object is the cultivation of the spiritual nature through 
the study of the Divine Book. This object is funda- 
mental and primary. Such social features as the class 
may have are merely incidental and secondary. 

Q. — What is the experience of others with the or- 
ganized Bible class ? 

A. — The Englewood [Chicago] Baptist Sunday-school 
had a small class. Since organization they have grown 
to nearly two hundred. The First Presbyterian Sunday- 
school of the same place had a class of six, but it had 
" run down " and was a class in name only. They or- 
ganized and now have a membership of over one hundred. 
The Christian Sunday-school organized with seven mem- 
bers and in a year it grew to sixty. In a school in 
DeKalb, 111., eight or ten men got together and organized. 
The class in four months increased to eighty members. 
In Syracuse, N. Y., a class organized with about ten, it 
began growing at once and at last reports one hundred 



ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 193 

and forty-one men have been received into the church 
from that class alone. In New York City a class of six 
struggled along without growth. Immediately after or- 
ganization new members began to come in and it now 
numbers over forty, and more than thirty of them have 
united with the church. In Auburn, N". Y., an unor- 
ganized class of forty effected an organization last fall. 
It now numbers one hundred and seventy. Organiza- 
tion and numerical growth appear to be synonymous. 

Q. — When and how should a Bible class be organized ? 

A. — " To-morrow, to-day will be yesterday. Do it 
now" If you have a young men's class not yet or- 
ganized, organize it and go on. If you haven't a class 
pick out the young men in or out of your congregation 
who have left the school because they were " too old " — 
call them together and propose the organization. Most 
of them will come in. Begin with five or three or one, 
but begin. 

Q. — How shall we get a good teacher ? 

A. — First, he should be eager to win souls to Christ. 
Second, he should know and love God's Word. Third, 
he should be in sympathy with the characteristics of 
young manhood. Let the young men sign a written 
petition asking him to teach them. Few men could re- 
sist that. The class " calls " the teacher subject to the 
approval of the Advisory Committee. 

Q. — If the teacher resigns does the class disband ? 

A. — Numerous instances prove that it does not, but 
that the class calls a new teacher — as a church calls a 
new pastor to fill a vacant pulpit. 

Q. — How much of a class organization is best ? 



194: SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

A. — The class should have a president, vice-president, 
secretary, and treasurer. If a large class the secretary 
and treasurer may have assistants, or there may be both 
a recording and a corresponding secretary. Have com- 
mittees for special work, and, if possible, have every 
member on some committee. 

Q. — What is done with the class offering ? 

A. — In most classes one-half of the offering is given to 
the school treasury and the other half used for the 
necessary expenses of the class. As organization almost 
invariably increases the membership, the school treasury 
gains more from the half offering of the organized class 
than from the whole offering of the unorganized class. 

Q. — What special lines of work auxiliary to Bible study 
should men's classes take up ? 

A. — A good general motto for the class would be " The 
other fellow." The physical and social needs of mem- 
bers should be looked after. Athletics appeal to young 
men. An employment committee might be exceedingly 
helpful. Cultivate a fraternal friendship between mem- 
bers. Let the spirit be inclusive but never exclusive. 
" The other fellow " means as well the young man who 
ought to be but is not in the class. 

Q. — What should be done on the social side ? 

A. — Hold a class social every month or two months 
with games, music, and a regular program. At intervals 
invite ladies also to these socials. In some classes an an- 
nual banquet is the great social event of the year. Plan 
summer excursions or baseball games for Saturday after- 
noons. Keep them busy. 

Q. — What is the most successful method of recruiting ? 



ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 195 

A. — First, promotion. Let the boys of the school 
know that at a certain age they are to be promoted into 
the organized class for young men and they will watch 
for it eagerly. Second, by inviting strangers to the 
socials and making it so pleasant that they will want to 
join the class. Third, by personal invitation of the 
members to friends both new and old, getting every 
new member to promise his best efforts to secure another 
member. 

Q. — Should the class meet at the same time and place 
with the Sunday-school ? 

A. — By all means, the hour and the place are most con- 
venient for everybody. The class is a department of the 
school. 

Q. — Should there be a constitution ? 

A. — It is well to have a constitution framed to meet 
the especial requirements and environments of the class. 
A good general form is as follows : — 

Article I 
Name 

The class shall be known as 



Article II 

Object 
The object of this class shall be to lead men to Jesus 
Christ and to teach them the Bible. 

Article III 
Officers 
The officers of this class shall consist of a teacher, a 



196 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer. 
These five shall constitute an executive committee. 

Article IV 
Members 

Any young man over the age of may become a 

member of this class by attending the class and signify- 
ing his desire to join. He shall then be entitled to all 
the privileges of the class so long as he complies with its 
rules and regulations. 

Article V 
Meetings 
The class shall meet each Sunday at ... M. for the 
study of the Bible. Regular business meetings shall be 
held on the first Monday of January, April, July, and 
October at 8 P. M. Special meetings may be called at any 
time by the president, teacher, or any five members, 
previous notice having been given one Sunday in the 
class. The regular meeting in January shall be the 
annual meeting, at which officers for the ensuing year 
shall be elected. At called or regular business meetings 
members shall constitute a quorum. 

Article YI 
Committees 
The standing committees of this class shall consist of 
first, advisory, consisting of the pastor, superintendent, 
teacher, and president of the class; second, membership, 
to consist of three members ; third, devotional, consist- 
ing of three members ; fourth, reception, to consist of 
three or more members ; fifth, entertainment, to consist 
of three or more members. 



ORGANIZED BIBLE CLASSES 197 

Article VII 
Duties of Officers and Committees 

Section 1. The teacher shall have charge of the les- 
son. Officers and committee men must consult with him 
on all subjects pertaining to the class before taking deci- 
sive action. All committee appointments must be with 
his approval. He shall be ex-officio member of all com- 
mittees. 

Section 2. The president shall preside at all meetings 
of the class, give the notices and announcements each 
Sunday, and, in general, be the executive officer of the 
class. All committees will report to him and through 
him to the class. He shall be chairman of the executive 
committee. 

Section 3. The vice-president shall perform the duties 
of the president in his absence, and render the president 
such assistance as is possible. 

Section 4<. The secretary shall have charge of the rec- 
ords of the class and the minutes of the meetings. He 
shall, each Sunday, give out attendance cards and collect 
them after they are signed. He shall keep an accurate 
record of attendance. 

Section 5. The treasurer shall have charge of all the 
monies of the class and shall pay them out only on order 
signed by the president and countersigned by the secre- 
tary. 

Section 6. The executive committee shall have general 
supervision of all work in connection with the class, shall 
devise ways and means of increasing the interest, attend- 
ance, and general welfare of the class. 

Section 7. The membership committee shall look after 



198 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the members of the class and call on them when absent 
more than one Sunday. They shall also see to the get- 
ting of new members and may call on any member of 
the class for assistance. 

Section 8. The devotional committee shall have charge 
of the spiritual welfare and work of the class. 

Section 9. The reception committee shall see that 
every man attending the class or any of its functions re- 
ceives a hearty welcome, and get strangers acquainted 
with each other and with the members. Every member 
of the class is expected to help. 

Section 10. The entertainment committee shall pro- 
vide music for the class, have charge of socials and any 
entertainments that may be given by the class. 

Article YIII 

Amendments 

This constitution may be amended at a regular or 

called meeting of the class, by a two-thirds vote, provided 

that notice of same has been given in the class one 

regular meeting previous. 



CHAPTER III 

GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 
By Prof. Edward P. St John 

No other single plan will help so much or in so many 
ways in the average school. Sunday-school gradation 
has been considered the fad of those who play at Sunday- 
school work, the luxury of the large and wealthy schools, 
the method of those who would substitute the cramming 
of the mind for the culture of the heart and the molding 
of the life. Doubtless there has been ground for such 
criticism of the plan in some quarters, but the idea has a 
far bigger and better meaning than any of these. It is 
really an attempt to do God's work in God's way, to do 
the right thing in the right way for every pupil in the 
school. 

At the Sunday-school convention, or in other ways, we 
hear of a cradle roll which links even the babies to the 
school. We are told of certain lessons that are especially 
suited to the children who are not yet six years of age. 
We learn of an honor roll or system of rewards which is 
especially helpful with the children who have just left 
the primary department. We find a wide-awake, manly 
man recommended as the teacher for the class of troub- 
lesome fourteen-year-old boys. We are urged to make 
the most of the special opportunity to secure conversion 

199 



200 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

that comes between twelve and sixteen years of age. 
We hear reports of organized classes of young men or 
women that are bringing thousands of these young 
people into the schools where there were only dozens be- 
fore the scheme was introduced. Every one of these 
plans is valuable and well worth advocating separately, 
but the graded Sunday-school really includes them all, 
and, while it will not bring them all at once, it will bring 
them to attention and greatly facilitate their adoption. 

The graded school is a systematic scheme to provide 
that we may do the best possible work for each pupil in 
whatever stage of life he may be. It is an attempt at a 
wise codification of all the helpful rules and suggestions 
that come to us from varied experience, from child study, 
from the science of teaching, and from the systematic 
study of the Bible. It is an ordering of all the work of 
the school so that all these plans can be carried out with- 
out friction or interference, and without detracting from 
th6 unity of spirit and effort. 

The authority for such a plan is abundant. The Sun- 
day-school is the educational department of the church, 
and every educator stands as a champion of gradation. 
Every study of childhood indicates its value. Every 
systematic and progressive course of Bible study requires 
it. The laws of teaching make it essential, and the 
methods of teaching are adapted to it. If those who do 
not acknowledge the authority of educational principles 
in Sunday-school work will turn to the Bible, they will 
find its warrant there. Let such an one remember that 
the child thinks as a child, but that when he becomes a 
man he puts away childish things. Let him consider 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 201 

that God's Word contains milk for babes and strong 
meat for those who are of full strength. Let him ponder 
over the fact that in the development of Christian char- 
acter we find first the blade, then the ear, and then the 
full corn in the ear. Grading the Sunday-school is 
simply an attempt to deal wisely with these conditions 
— to do the best work for each pupil, whatever his needs 
may be. 

The plan is practical and helpful in the small school. — 
If there are less than one hundred members there must be 
special adaptation, and usually some valuable features 
must be omitted, but any school will be helped by so 
much of gradation as can be introduced. In the past 
the great difficulty has been that schools have supposed 
they must adopt bodily the methods of the strong, 
elaborately graded school instead of adapting them to 
the altered conditions of village or country. When at- 
tention is centered not on the details of methods used, 
but on the reasons for which such plans are made, the 
superintendent of the small school will take courage and 
seek to accomplish the same end in another way. It is 
the purpose of this chapter to point out some of the funda- 
mental principles of Sunday-school gradation, and to give 
some hints as to ways in which they may be applied. 

Every Sunday-school is to some extent a graded school. 
— Gradation is not a new plan, but rather a perfecting of 
plans that are everywhere accepted and, to some extent, 
followed. So much may be said for the encouragement 
of those who dread innovations. That being the case, 
the plan may be carried out without revolutions. Every 
school that has more than one class has made a beginning 



202 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

of gradation. And if its leaders believe that to abandon 
the classes and teach the school as a whole would be a 
backward step, they will be convinced by very little 
thought that any wise steps in the other direction 
are in the line of progress. It is by recognizing these 
facts, and by building on the foundations already 
laid, that satisfactory gradation is to be secured in the 
average school. But if these gradual changes are 
to be brought about, there must be some ideal toward 
which progress is to be made. And this ideal should set 
perfection before us without prescribing a uniform mode 
of approach toward its goal. This will be accomplished 
as we deal with principles rather than methods. The 
one fundamental law of gradation is that of adaptation, 
but this broad principle must be applied in at least four 
specific ways if the best results are to be obtained. 

The first essential principle of the graded school is that 
the pupils must be graded. — That is, they must be so 
grouped that only those who need substantially the same 
kind of teaching and of discipline are placed under the 
care of any one teacher. This principle of gradation is 
more largely followed than any other to-day, and yet 
there is opportunity and need for much improvement in 
this particular. The usual division into classes narrows 
the responsibility of the teacher, enables him to make 
the instruction more personal, and encourages the 
formation of social ties among the pupils that 
strengthen the influence of the school. But if these 
classes can be made up of pupils who have the same in- 
terests and about the same knowledge, who are engaged 
in the same forms of play and the same lines of study, 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 203 

who have to meet the same temptations and are passing 
through similar phases of religious experience, there is 
still more of gain. The teacher's work is more closely 
defined, practically all the teaching may come with a 
personal appeal to every member, and the influence of 
class fellowship will be greatly strengthened. 

At first thought such a grouping of pupils would seem 
to require supernatural knowledge on the part of super- 
intendent, or endless experimentation ; but, in fact, the 
problem is quite simple, for nature has graded our 
pupils. Careful studies of children and youth have 
clearly shown that as the child develops he passes 
through a succession of stages or periods, usually lasting 
from two to four years each, during which the changes 
in his nature are not great, but which are divided from 
each other by short periods in which development is very 
rapid and in which new powers and interests come into 
prominence. It is also found that all normal children 
who are in the same development-period tend to think, 
feel, and act in the same general way in the most im- 
portant particulars. The age of the pupils, then, will 
serve as a fairly accurate guide as to proper gradation. 
There will be individual exceptions to the rule, because 
some children develop more rapidly than others, but 
when the peculiar characteristics of the various periods 
are known, it is easy to correct errors due to this. What 
these development-stages are will be indicated later in 
this chapter. For each of them there should be a corre- 
sponding department of the school. 

The second principle is that the teachers must be 
graded. — When the pupils have been graded as indicated 



204 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

above, it will be found that certain traits are character- 
istic of all the members of a class. The teacher should be 
selected because of fitness to deal successfully with these 
characteristics, and should permanently teach pupils of 
that stage in development. This, again, is but a further 
application of an accepted method. This peculiar fitness 
usually guides in the selection of a teacher for any class, 
but when the wise adjustment has been made it cannot 
be permanent, for while the adult teacher will remain 
practically the same, the pupils will in a few years pass 
into a new stage of life and new and very divergent 
traits will appear. The only way to follow the mandate 
of this principle and gain its practical benefits is by 
changing the teacher of any particular group of pupils 
every three or four years. This is contrary to the 
established traditions of many schools, but it is wise for 
several reasons. (1) No teacher can do equally good 
work in any two departments of the school. When we 
find the type of pupils which he can most successfully 
teach and keep him with them, we strengthen the teach- 
ing power of the school. Many poor teachers of to-day 
were good teachers when they were assigned to their 
classes, and would be good teachers to-day if they were 
teaching pupils of that younger grade. (2) If the teacher 
remains long with a class, she must wholly change her 
methods from time to time if she achieves success ; but 
if she always teaches pupils who are of one particular 
type, every year of service brings added skill in meeting 
one particular set of problems. (3) The best thing that 
any teacher can give to a class is the message that comes 
in her own Christian character. No one can give his 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 205 

best to a class in one year when he meets it only one 
hour a week, but it can be done in three years or four. 
Any pupil will gain more from association with five 
strong Christian personalities of different types during 
twenty years of Sunday-school life than from the long 
association with only one. 

The third principle is that the lessons must be graded. — 
Its importance is fully realized by those who most 
strenuously urge that there should be a uniform lesson 
throughout the school. Their contention is not that 
adaptation is undesirable, but that it can be accomplished 
by varying the choice of illustration, the placing of 
emphasis, method of presentation, etc. Such grading 
of the lesson treatment is suggested by the various 
graded lesson helps, often with remarkable ingenuity 
and helpfulness. But the teacher's problems will be 
greatly simplified when the lesson itself is selected in 
view of its intrinsic suitability for pupils of a particular 
grade. An excellent illustration of this we find in the 
International Beginners' Course, which was prepared for 
use with children under six years of age. Those who 
teach these lessons find that they are more interesting 
and more profitable for their little pupils, and much 
easier to teach. The time is not far distant when we 
shall have lessons especially suited to each of the im- 
portant departments of the Sunday-school. But, while 
several valuable experiments in this line have been 
made, we have to-day no really ideal graded courses for 
all departments of the school. And probably the very 
large majority of those who read this article are not 
satisfied that such courses are desirable. To such, two 



206 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

plans are open which will enable them to use the uniform 
lesson and yet make substantial progress toward the 
ideal which this principle presents. 

First, graded supplemental lessons maybe introduced. — 
Where this is done the time of the lesson period is divided 
between the International lesson and certain other 
lessons which are carefully adapted to the comprehension, 
interests, and needs of the pupils to whom they are 
taught. This plan is especially suited to the pupils who 
are under eighteen or perhaps sixteen years of age. In 
most primary departments such instruction is now given, 
and where junior departments exist it is almost universal. 
The information which these courses contain is of great 
value to the pupils. Those who desire definite sugges- 
tions as to the nature of such courses can find them in a 
leaflet on " Graded Supplemental Lessons for the Ele- 
mentary Departments of the Sunday-school," which is 
published by the International Sunday-school Association, 
and may be obtained from Marion Lawrance, Chicago, 
111., by making application and enclosing a two-cent 
stamp. 

The second step toward fully graded lessons is that of 
introducing one or several " elective courses " in the 
higher departments of the school. The suggestion is 
that some competent teacher be asked to prepare herself 
or himself to teach some special course of Bible study 
which would present new views of Bible truth to those 
who have been for ten or fifteen years following the 
International lessons. This course may be based upon 
some published book, or may be planned by the teacher. 
"The Great Painters' Gospel," issued by the publishers 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 207 

of this volume, is a course especially suited to a class 
of intelligent young men or women or of cultured adults. 
This course of picture study might be made of fascinating 
interest and very great profit by the Christian teacher 
who has some intelligent interest in art. A score of 
other suitable courses could readily be found. When 
the teacher has completed this course with her class, 
some other class should be permitted to "elect" this 
course. The teacher will have profited by the experience 
of last year, will read one or two new books in the line 
of her topic, and by added experience will fit herself for 
still better work the third year. So a school may de- 
velop one or several specialists in particular lines of 
Bible study, to whom various classes may go in turn. 

The fourth principle is that the school must be organ- 
ized by grades or departments. — This provides such 
regular plans as will make it possible to carry out readily 
the suggestions already outlined. It involves at least 
three items. (1) All the work for pupils in one stage of 
development should be under the supervision of one per- 
son known as the superintendent of the department. 
This secures leadership and training of each group of 
teachers who have common problems to face by the most 
competent person among them. That person may help 
in that way to determine the policy of the department in 
its dealing with its members, and secure unity of effort. 
Such an officer would discover and introduce into the 
department valuable plans in use in other schools, etc. 
(2) This also involves regular promotion from department 
to department. This should be on the basis of develop- 
ment rather than intellectual attainment. Ordinarily, 



208 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

promotion should take place on one specified day of the 
year. On that day one or more classes made up of all 
those who have passed the established age limits should 
be promoted from each department except the highest. 
(3) Each teacher should be assigned to the department to 
which he seems best suited, and should permanently re- 
main there. When a class enters a department it should 
be given a teacher who will remain with it until it is 
promoted to the next higher department, when he 
will again take a class that is just entering from 
below. 

The important periods in development and the depart- 
ments of the graded school which correspond with them, 
with the usual age limits for each, are indicated below. 
Two facts in regard to the development of the pupil 
should, however, be kept in mind. (1) The different 
stages blend into each other so gradually that no ob- 
server, however expert, could say of a child that he is 
one week in one stage and the next week in another. 
But a few months usually suffice to clearly show that 
the transition has come. (2) Different children vary 
somewhat as to the ages at which the transitions take 
place. The variation, however, is not very great in the 
periods that are passed before the twelfth year. The 
ages indicated below are determined upon after special 
studies of childhood, the comparison of many authorities, 
and observation of the practical workings of a very large 
number of Sunday-schools. It is believed that they are 
as nearly correct as the present knowledge of child de- 
velopment permits us to make them. 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 



209 



Period of Development. 


Departments of Sunday- 
school. 


Age for Promotion to 
Next Department. 


Infancy. 


Cradle Roll. 


4 


Early Childhood. 


Kindergarten or Beginners . 


6 


Primary. 


8 


Prepubescence, or Boy- 
hood and Girlhood. 


Junior. 


12 


Adolescence: 
First Stage. 


Intermediate. 


16 


Adolescence: 
Middle Stage. 


Senior. 


18 


Adolescence : 
Last Stage. 


Adult or Assembly. 




Adult Life. 



The Cradle Roll Department is the first in the com- 
pletely graded school. — It makes no provision for the in- 
struction of its members, but enrolls their names and 
thus links them to the school and insures their presence 
as soon as they are old enough to enter the Kindergarten 
or Beginners' Department. The influence of the depart- 
ment is strengthened by sending cards to its members on 
their birthdays, by special gatherings which the mothers 
attend, etc. Most of the Sunday-school supply houses 
furnish the simple material needed for carrying on the 
work. It is sometimes under the care of the superintend- 
ent of the Beginners' or Primary Department, and 
sometimes has its separate superintendent. 

The Kindergarten or Beginners' Department is next in 
order, and cares for the children between four and six 



210 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

years of age. Its work is greatly facilitated if it can be 
carried on in a separate room, but it may be successfully 
carried on if its members take part in the same general 
exercises as the slightly older children, but are separated 
for the lesson study. The International Beginners' 
Course is a special course designed especially for children 
of this age, and covering two years of time. It is much 
better suited to their comprehension and their spiritual 
needs than the uniform lessons. Marching and other 
exercises should be introduced, and much of freedom 
in movement and speech should be permitted. The 
discipline should be that of the home rather than that of 
the school. The " circle work " (not the gifts or occupa- 
tions) of the ordinary kindergarten will offer much of 
suggestion as to the general conduct of the department. 

The Primary Department, so well organized in most 
schools, needs little more than mention here. The most 
common error is in the retention of children in this de- 
partment after they have passed the proper age limits. 
Those who are over eight, or at most nine, years of age 
should be promoted to the next higher department. The 
International Beginners' Course is much better adapted 
to this grade than the uniform lesson, and may profitably 
be used, especially if there is no Beginners' Department. 
But, whichever course is used, graded supplemental les- 
sons should be added, from one-fourth to one-half of the 
lesson period being given to them. 

The Junior Department includes the children between 
eight and about twelve years of age The general con- 
duct and organization may be similar to that of the 
Primary Department, but all the exercises should be 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 211 

adapted to the child's further intellectual development 
and matter-of-fact spirit. It is now wise to put boys and 
girls in separate classes, and usually a teacher of the 
same sex will be more successful. Rewards, honor rolls, 
etc., are of greater value now than at any other time, 
but should be carefully used. In the teaching of the 
lessons map drawing is of especial interest and value. 
The Bible stories should be grouped according to historical 
periods, and pupils should be trained to the use of the 
book itself. 

The Intermediate Department is one of the most diffi- 
cult and one of the most important in the school. — But in 
the well-graded school its problems are greatly simplified. 
Its pupils, who are between twelve and sixteen years of 
age, are, as the department name signifies, in the transi- 
tion between childhood and young manhood and woman- 
hood. The self-assertion and rebellion against authority 
that are common now are due to the dawning of the 
consciousness of selfhood — of the power to think and 
choose and act independently. It is best corrected by 
placing responsibility upon them. Self-government is 
the most successful plan to correct the common disorders. 
Rules which the}^ make themselves they will obey and 
enforce. The love of a joke is very strong, and the 
teacher whose sense of humor is well developed has a 
great advantage over others. This is above all others 
the time of cliques and sets among the girls and gangs 
among the boys. The evil tendencies of these associa- 
tions may be checked, and the impulses which lead to 
such exclusive fellowships may be called to the aid of the 
teacher by organizing the class in a very simple way. 



212 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

The spirit of hero-worship is very strong and explains 
the interest in the " dime novel," the prize-fighter, and 
the military leader. Because of this interest, biograph- 
ical Bible study is especially valuable, and illustrations 
from the lives of successful or unsuccessful men are 
valuable for inspiration or warning. The ideal teacher 
for the boys is the manly man ; for the girls, the motherly 
woman. It should be remembered that a very large pro- 
portion of all conversions occur during these years, and 
there should be patient and tactful effort to lead the 
pupil into a conscious personal religious experience. 

The Senior Department seeks to make provision for 
the changes that come between sixteen and eighteen or 
nineteen years of age. Now, unselfishness should rap- 
idly develop, and both instruction and activities to 
which the young people may be guided should be used 
to aid in the development of these altruistic tendencies. 
The studies may well center in the life and teachings of 
Christ, and there should be special effort to deepen and 
enrich the religious life. Often a teacher of the other 
sex has especial influence over the pupil of this age. 

The Adult Department includes those who are in the 
last stage of adolescence as well as those who have 
reached maturity. — The period between eighteen and 
thirty is preeminently that of the organized class. In 
spite of the general complaint that young men do not 
attend the Sunday-school, it is becoming common to 
find classes that number several hundred in the cities, 
and in New York State there are a considerable number 
of schools that number about one hundred, and have 
one-fifth or one-fourth of their membership in a single 



GRADING THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 213 

class of young men. These are classes that through or- 
ganization have utilized the energy and enthusiasm of 
the young men themselves. Space forbids a discussion 
of their methods, but information concerning classes for 
men may be obtained of Mr. M. A. Hudson, Syracuse, 
N. Y. ; and concerning classes for young women from 
David C. Cook, Elgin, 111. 

To the superintendent of the small school, a further 
word. — Do not let the ideal which you cannot now at- 
tain be of no avail to you. Work toward it as you can. 
If you can have one class for each department, you can 
have a graded school if it meets all in the one room of a 
schoolhouse. If only one teacher is willing that you 
should grade her class, grade that one. Grade others 
when you can. If you have a Primary Department 
only, plan to add the Junior. Be willing to make prog- 
ress one step at a time. If your teachers do not see the 
value of the plan, educate them until they do. If dis- 
couragements come, 



;< Bustle up, an' grit your teeth. 
An* keep on keepin' on." 



CHAPTEK IV 

GKADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 

In the last chapter Professor St. John gave his ideas 
with regard to a graded Sunday-school. These were so 
excellent that Dr. Peloubet, than whom there is no 
better judge, wrote us that the suggestions were the best 
that he had ever seen. There are many schools in the 
land that might well take Professor St. John's sugges- 
tions and carry them out so far as their circumstances 
permit. In our own school we have long had a graded 
system at work. Our gradations are (1) A preparatory 
class for the very little ones who first come to the school. 
(2) A younger primary class. (3) A primary class of 
rather older scholars. (4) An intermediate A, into 
which those from the older primary pass. (5) An In- 
termediate Department constituting part of the main 
school. (All classes below this meet by themselves for 
all their work.) (6) A Junior Department. (7) A 
Senior Department. These two latter meet in the same 
room with the intermediate classes, and join in devotional 
services and in the review. With us this division of the 
school has worked well. 

In this chapter we will take the question of the 
graded lesson. Much criticism has been indulged in 
with regard to the lack of a graded system in the Inter- 
national lessons. It is claimed that good work is im- 

214 



GRADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 215 

possible where all classes study the same portion of 
Scripture. That there is some truth in these criticisms, 
no one will deny. No system of instruction in Sunday- 
school is, or can be, perfect. The only question to be 
considered is what system yields on the whole the best 
results. For a right decision in this important matter, it 
may help us to consider carefully the conditions as they 
now exist. In doing this, let it be clearly understood 
that we make no reference to those schools that adopt 
the catechetical system, or that have the Union Bible 
Study set of lessons. Our reference is to that vast 
majority of schools that adhere to the International 
system. 

From 1872 to 1909, a period of thirty-seven years, these 
schools have had the " Uniform Lesson." That is, all 
classes have studied the same portion of Scripture each 
Sunday. Of course, critics have not been lacking, but on 
the whole this system has been an advance on any that 
preceded it. There has been improvement in the selec- 
tion of lessons, as experience has shown the way, so that 
of late years the more difficult passages of Scripture have 
been avoided, and the simpler ones selected. But in spite 
of this, many have held that there was a more excellent 
way. True, in the " Lesson Helps " an effort has been 
made by all the publishing houses to adapt the lesson 
chosen to various grades of scholars. This has been 
very successfully done in many instances. And in 
many lessons it can be accomplished quite perfectly. For 
example, in a lesson on the Decalogue, one lesson help 
might well call attention to what the Ten Commandments 
mean, while a help for senior classes might call attention 



216 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

to the likenesses and differences between the Decalogue 
and the recently discovered Code of Hammurabi. Or in 
a lesson on Elijah at Mount Carmel, the lesson for the 
younger scholars might hold to the simple story and its 
teachings for us, while the help for seniors might pass on 
to discuss the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth,as the gods 
representing the reproductive powers of nature, and the 
result of all such false worship. As a result of long ex- 
perience in teaching teachers, the writer holds that in the 
vast majority of lessons this can be done with good ef- 
fect. The testimony of a large number of primary 
teachers points in the same direction. Still, there are 
many who do not agree with us in this matter, they 
claiming that better work can be done if the lessons are 
selected with especial reference to the ages of those 
taught. 

This dissatisfaction with the uniform lesson found strong 
expression at the Triennial International Sunday-school 
Convention held in the city of Denver in 1902. The 
leaders among the primary teachers the land over peti- 
tioned for an especial two years' course for beginners, 
ranging up to six years of age. They wanted simpler 
lesson texts selected, and wanted them so arranged as to 
fit the development of the child. As a result, the Les- 
son Committee prepared such a set of lessons, for a two 
years' course, this course to be gone over again and again 
with the little scholars. This Beginners' Course has re- 
ceived much praise. Indeed, so far as we know, it has 
met with no adverse criticism. The publishers have is- 
sued helps based on this set of lessons, prepared by the 
best workers among the children in the land. 



GRADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 217 

At the Denver Convention above referred to, an Ad- 
vanced Course was also presented by the Lesson Com- 
mittee, but was rejected by the Convention. Since then, 
there has been a cry made for an Advanced Course, and 
the action of the Denver Convention has been severely 
criticised. Those who wish such an Advanced Course 
admit that the majority of Sunday-schools are not ready 
yet for such a course. But they claim that at least 
twenty-five per cent, of the schools are ready for such a 
course, and that for their sakes it should be provided. 

Others, however, claim that the adoption by the Inter- 
national Committee of an Advanced Course would not 
go far enough. They want much more of subdivision in 
the grading of lessons than that involved in a Beginners' 
Course, an Intermediate Course, and an Advanced 
Course. Such persons would have five or six grades, in 
each of which the lesson text was different from that of 
all the other grades. This they claim could be accom- 
plished by supplemental lessons, possibly, but not as well 
as by having separate lessons for each grade. With re- 
gard to the matter of supplemental lessons, it seems to 
us that little can be accomplished in this way. The time 
is too short You cannot do much more in the half hour 
that most teachers have, than mark the roll, take the 
collection, hear the memory verses, and teach the lesson. 
To try to do more, is to do less well all that you do. 

Before adopting any such course as that involved in 
separate lessons for each grade in the school, it seems 
to us that it would be well to consider carefully the 
actual conditions under which Sunday-school work has 
to be done. In doing this we should not have in mind 



218 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

certain exceptional schools, where careful grading both 
of classes and of matter is possible. That there are a 
few such schools is true. But what we must consider 
in ministering to the Sunday-school constituency is the 
vast majority of schools. Among the things to be con- 
sidered in our judgment are the following : — 

The vast majority of Sunday-school teachers in our 
land are not trained pedagogues. In fact, most of them 
have no higher education than that of the grammar 
school. Very few are high school graduates. For such 
teachers to perceive the fine difference between grades of 
teaching, is not to be expected. If grades of lessons 
were prepared for each graded class they would not be 
able to make a right pedagogic use of them. Indeed, it 
is in just this unpreparedness of the majority of the 
teacher-force that the great difficulty of all Sunday- 
school work lies. It is here that the vital necessity of 
the teachers' meeting appears. They need a trained 
mind to prepare them for the work in hand, and, in doing 
this, the leader has to so simplify matters that the teacher 
may be able to first grasp and then present the truth to 
her class. Every anxious superintendent knows that his 
great difficulty is to secure teachers who have even slight 
ability in the line of teaching. If, then, not only we are 
to have graded classes, but also graded lesson material, 
we shall have even more difficulty in putting the right 
teachers in the right places. 

Still another difficulty arises as we face the actual con- 
ditions of our work. In New York City, for example, it 
has been found as the result of actual canvass, that the 
life of the teacher, as teacher, is only four years. That 



GRADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 219 

is, at the end of each four years, the school finds itself 
with a new corps of teachers. This does not mean that 
every teacher is new to the school, for some hold over for 
a longer time, and a few remain for a long series of years. 
On the other hand, many do not continue for a whole 
year. In my own school, which is supposed to be above 
the average, we change teachers on the whole once every 
four years. The writer has had investigations made in 
various places in the Empire State, with the result that 
the period of the single teacher is slightly longer than 
that in the city of New York. Still, even in the quieter 
rural districts it is appallingly short. This is an insuper- 
able difficulty in the way of much of our work. What 
could we not accomplish if only our teachers were per- 
manent, as are teachers in our public schools. And, per 
contra, what havoc would be wrought in our public 
schools if every four years the whole corps of teachers 
were to be changed. 

On account, then, of our not being able to secure 
trained teachers in any considerable numbers, and of the 
further fact that they do not remain with us long enough 
to train them adequately, it is easy to see that much 
which is theoretically desirable is practically not attain- 
able. Even in a Sunday-school where they have a good 
teachers' meeting in which the manner as well as the 
matter of teaching is carefully studied, and where the 
leader is an unusually clever teacher, the goal in view 
cannot be reached, since the teachers do not all come to 
the teachers' meeting, and those who do come, are not 
there for a sufficient length of time to be adequately 
prepared for their work. In speaking of these things, 



220 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

we are not speaking theoretically, but out of a long and 
painful experience. 

We wish that these were all the difficulties of the ac- 
tual situation. But they are not. A still more radical 
difficulty is to be found in the fact that in most Sunday- 
schools there is no one capable of taking charge of the 
teachers' meeting. The result is that the vast majority 
of the Sunday-schools have no teachers' meeting for the 
study of the lesson. Teachers have to do the best 
they can with their " Helps " to fit themselves to meet 
their classes. Until this fundamental difficulty is 
removed, it is useless to expect the best work from our 
teachers under any conditions. At a recent State Sun- 
day-school Convention of the state of New York, the 
writer conducted a " Eound Table " for the pastors pres- 
ent. There were thirty-seven of these who came. Pre- 
sumably they were deeply interested in Sunday-school 
matters or they would not have attended the convention 
at all. For it is a sad fact that the majority of our pas- 
tors think so little of the Sunday-school that they never 
attend such gatherings. To these thirty-seven the ques- 
tion was put, " How many of you have a regular teachers' 
meeting?" Only three of them replied in the affirma- 
tive. This was a sad showing. Some of them said they 
had tried, but for various reasons had abandoned the at- 
tempt. Of all the pastors in the city of New York, the 
writer knows of but few who even try to lead their 
teachers to better things in the line of improved teaching. 

That this state of affairs is widespread is evident from 
the following fact. When the first call was sent out by 
the Religious Education Association for a convention, 



GRADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 221 

based on the alleged fact that the International Conven- 
tion had not provided for an Advanced Course, and claim- 
ing that such a course was essential to the best Sunday- 
school work, it was signed among others by seventy-six 
settled pastors, from all over our land. The writer was 
anxious to know how earnestly these pastors were en- 
gaged in preparing their teachers for their work along 
present lines. As a result of personal inquiries made by 
him, replies were received from sixty of these pastors. 
Of these, only thirteen had any teachers' meetings for the 
study of the lesson, while forty-seven of them were, on 
their own confession, making no effort to prepare their 
teachers for good work at the present time. Exactly 
what was in the minds of such men when they signed a 
call for a convention, which was to outline work in some 
respects more difficult, it is hard to see. 

For it is evident that the more minutely the lessons 
are graded, the more difficult, not to say impossible, will it 
be to have the teachers' meetings. If the average pastor 
cannot sustain one teachers' meeting, how will he be able 
to maintain several each week ? Indeed, the men are ex- 
ceedingly rare who could teach several grades of lessons 
with any degree of distinctness, so that teachers would 
see the difference between grade and grade in the hand- 
ling of the text. It is not an easy matter to accomplish, 
as the writer well knows by long experience. The fact 
is that the multitudinous grading of lessons will result in 
a diminishing number of teachers' meetings all over the 
land. Of this, there can be no question. 

One more fact must be considered in this matter of 
minute grading, — and that is that in every school substi- 



222 SPAKKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

tute teachers have to be made use of on almost every 
Sunday of the year. Sometimes these substitute teachers 
are almost as numerous as the regular corps. (We refer 
to the summer time, in city schools.) These substitute 
teachers would find it hard, not to say impossible, to suit 
their teaching to the grade of lesson handled. They 
would inevitably fall back on the usual methods of teach- 
ing with which they had been familiar. 

What then?— Are we opposed to graded lessons? 
No. But the gradation must not be too minute and 
must be very gradually introduced. At present it is the 
impression of the writer that a Beginners' Course is a 
necessity, in spite of the fact alluded to above that only 
a small percentage of Primary teachers use the one pre- 
sented. It is his impression that this course (now called 
the Beginners' Course, and confined to scholars under six 
years of age) is well adapted to the Primary scholars up 
to ten years of age. Taking the Sunday-schools at large, 
it is a fact that the teachers of the primaries are, on the 
whole, the most capable of all the teachers. Very fre- 
quently they are public school teachers who know how. 
For them, then, there is not the same imperative necessity 
for a weekly teachers' meeting. They are able to prepare 
for their work with the usual " Lesson Helps." And if 
they do need help, in many of the larger towns they 
have their own Primary Unions where the lesson is 
taught, and various hints are given in the line of black- 
board work and object-lessons. 

Then for the main school, comprising scholars from 
eleven to sixteen years of age, the regular uniform lesson 
may well be used. These lessons for the past ten years 



GRADED SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS 223 

have been chosen with unusual care and are largely bio- 
graphic in their nature. Any teacher who will take the 
trouble to look over the lessons from 1900 to 1909, in- 
clusive, will see that really difficult lesson material has 
rarely been selected. Taking the ten years' course as a 
whole, the vast majority of the lessons have been grouped 
around the names of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, 
Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, 
Elisha, Isaiah, Ezra, Nehemiah for the Old Testament, and 
Jesus, Peter, and Paul for the New Testament. Such a 
series of lessons is easy enough for scholars of the ages 
eleven to fourteen, and not too easy for those of the ages 
of fifteen to sixteen or seventeen. For teachers of these 
classes, then, a regular weekly teachers' meeting should 
be sustained, where the best methods could be used, and 
the teachers be prepared for serious work with their 
classes. 

Then for the adult classes we ought to have an Ad- 
vanced Course. This course might be either (tentatively) 
a two )^ears' course, or it might be like that for the main 
school, a six years' course. Our own preference w r ould 
be to start with a two years' course, and then as a result 
of more experience, enlarge it to a six years' course. 
Beyond this the writer does not believe that the Sunday- 
schools of the land could go with profit for quite a num- 
ber of years to come. To prepare at the present time an 
elaborate set of courses, would be to confuse the teachers 
and lead to no good result. " Festina lente " (make haste 
slowly) is a good motto when those involved in any ac- 
tion are many. And in the case of the International 
Sunday-school work, we must ever bear in mind that we 



224 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

are working not for thousands, but for millions of 
scholars. In this case the proverb "more haste, less 
speed," holds true. Our consideration of this most im- 
portant theme will not be complete without bringing the 
whole question at issue up to date. This will be done in 
the next chapter, for which we crave a most careful pe- 
rusal. 



CHAPTER V 

GRADED LESSONS 

In continuation of the subject discussed in the last 
chapter, we must now add further as follows. At the 
International Sunday-school Convention in Toronto, in 
1905, the Lesson Committee was instructed to prepare 
lessons for advanced classes. This the committee did, 
preparing three such courses, each to occupy one year. 1 
Agitation for a complete graded course for the whole 
Sunday-school, however, continued. It was claimed 
that there were twenty-five per cent, of the schools of 
the United States that desired, and were able to use, 
such a course. As a result at the International Sunday- 
school Convention in Louisville held in 1908, the Lesson 
Committee was instructed to go forward and prepare 
such a complete graded course. 

As a result of their labors, the Lesson Committee has 
issued the following statement, and an outline of a thor- 
oughly graded course of lessons. It has also furnished 
to the publishers a complete course for the first year Be- 
ginner, the first year Primary and the first year Junior. 
In October, 1909, these lessons will be ready for all who 
desire to make use of them. 

FOREWORD 
The Twelfth International Sunday-school Convention 

1 There has been almost no call for these courses, and no more will be 
issued at present. 

225 



226 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

held at Louisville, Ky., June 20, 1908, instructed the 
Lesson Committee " to continue the preparation of a 
thoroughly graded course of lessons, which may be used 
by any Sunday-school which desires it, whether in whole 
or in part." The Lesson Committee had already been in 
correspondence with an important group of Elementary 
Workers, who had begun the construction of a scheme of 
graded lessons. The results of their prolonged and 
arduous work were put at the disposal of the Lesson 
Committee, thus placing the Lesson Committee and the 
Sunday-school world under a great obligation. 

The Lesson Committee, through a special sub-commit- 
tee, have given close scrutiny to every feature of the 
scheme, and have held frequent conferences with the 
group of workers referred to. Further, a draft copy of 
the scheme, so far as prepared, was sent out to more 
than seventy specialists in Sunday-school work all over 
the United States and Canada. A large part of these 
returned valuable criticisms, both on the general principles 
of the scheme and on innumerable details, criticisms 
which were often interestingly divergent. It need not 
be said that no labor has been spared to give due con- 
sideration to every suggestion from every quarter. 

The committee could not be expected to complete in 
so brief a time what must be the work of several years. 
It was decided, therefore, to issue in January, 1909, the 
First Year's Lessons for the first three departments, 
with a list of the proposed themes for the following 
years in those departments. It is hoped that before the 
end of 1909 the lessons for the second year in each of 
those departments will be completed. "Work on the In- 



GRADED LESSONS 227 

termediate grades will be undertaken immediately, and 
the results issued as soon as possible. 

INTRODUCTION 

I. The Purpose of the Graded Lessons : 

To meet the spiritual needs of the pupil in each stage 
of his development. 

The spiritual needs broadly stated are these : 

1. To know God as he has revealed himself to us in 
nature, in the heart of man, and in Christ. 

2. To exercise toward God, the Father, and his Son, 
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, trust, obedience and 
worship. 

3. To know and do our duty to others. 

4. To know and do our duty to ourselves. 

II. The Material Chosen for These Lessons : 
The truths are presented in lessons from the Bible, and 

are illustrated by lessons from nature, from the history 
of missions, and from the temperance and other humane 
movements. 

III. The Construction of the Courses : 
1. General Statements. 

The International Lesson Committee has been in- 
structed "to continue the preparation of a thoroughly 
graded course of lessons" for the Sunday-school. In 
pursuance of this instruction a general scheme of lessons 
is in preparation for all departments of the Sunday- 
school. The departments recognized by the Interna- 
tional Sunday-school Association are Beginners (ages un- 



228 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

der six), Primary (ages 6-8), Junior (ages 9-12), Inter- 
mediate (ages 13-16), Senior (ages 17-20), Advanced 
(ages 21+). 

Fifty-two lessons are provided for each year. The 
courses are planned for about nine months, in harmony 
with the ordinary public school year, in order that 
schools open during this period only may not have an 
incomplete scheme of study. 

The lessons for the remaining three months, while 
not essential to complete the aim for the year, are 
valuable in themselves, and either supplement the work 
of the current year or else prepare for that of the follow- 
ing year. 

The titles of the lessons in the Beginners' and Primary 
Courses are mainly simple story titles. In the Junior 
Course, whenever possible, a name and an event have 
been associated in the title as an aid to memory. 
Throughout the courses, preference in most cases is 
given to such titles as have been made familiar in litera- 
ture and art. 

So far as possible the well-known form wrought out in 
the Uniform Lessons has been preserved in the Graded 
Lesson scheme. It includes the title, the Scripture 
lesson as a whole, the portion which the pupil is expected 
to prepare specifically, and the verse for the child, 
memory verse, or text. 

The knowledge already in the possession of the pupil 
through his day-school work has been taken into con- 
sideration in planning these courses ; and the natural 
abilities of the average pupil have governed the selection 
of the memory texts. 



GRADED LESSONS 229 

It will be seen that these lessons, being arranged in 
units of one year each, can be adjusted to any plan of 
departmental classification ; but an effort has been made 
to adapt each year's work to the interests, capacities and 
needs of the pupils of that year. 

#. Specific Statements. 

(a) Beginners' and Primary Courses. 

The lessons are arranged in groups under successive 
themes, which are related in thought. 

In selecting the material for these lessons, historical 
order has not been observed, but each passage has been 
chosen for the truth it contains, and for the value of that 
truth in the spiritual nurture of the child. 

Large use of the method of repetition has been made 
in the construction of these courses. Not only do 
children love the retelling of stories, but that process is 
essential for impressing truth upon their minds. Hence, 
in the Beginners' Course frequent opportunities are 
given for the retelling of stories. In the Primary 
Course provision is generally made at the close of each 
theme for a review of the main teaching which it con- 
tains, under the title of " Review," or " Generalization." 
There the retelling of stories under a given theme can 
be freely used. 

(b) The Junior Course. 

It is important in constructing a course of moral and 
religious education to remember that important crises 
occur in the physical, mental and moral development of 
the individual, in his progress from childhood toward 
adult life. The most prominent crises occur about the 
ages of thirteen and sixteen or seventeen. Each of these 



230 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

represents the close of one and the beginning of a new 
period. An attempt has been made in the arrangement 
of the Junior Course to keep this first crisis in view, and 
to prepare for it by appropriate studies and by the 
awakening of those desires, thoughts, volitions, and 
habits which will lead to the decision to enter upon the 
love and service of Christ. 

During the first two years, when the historical sense 
begins to grow, the instruction is given by means of 
stories chronologically arranged, taken from various 
periods. The studies of the last two years will be based 
upon successive narratives of a continuous, though not 
necessarily complete, history. 

The only exception to this chronological arrangement 
will be in the third year, when a topical course on tem- 
perance is introduced, in order that this subject may 
receive special attention at this critical period. 

As this is a strong memory period, many Psalms and 
other connected passages of Scripture are prescribed 
for memorizing. In those cases the thought of the 
entire memory passage is similar to that of the group 
of lessons with which it is associated. Under this ar- 
rangement it is impossible that the memory text shall 
in every instance embody the truth of the particular 
lesson to which it is attached. 

The geography of Bible lands is introduced into this 
course at the end of the first year, that being the period 
when it appears in the day-school course. Through 
the geographical setting given in the Exodus lessons, it 
is hoped to awaken the interest of the pupil in Bible 
lands. 



GRADED LESSONS 231 

IV. Correlated Work : 

(1) The Lesson Committee has not been instructed to 
provide for correlated work. It is not to be assumed, 
however, that the following courses of lessons exhaust 
the material which ought to be used in the religious 
education of the young. (2) It should be constantly 
kept in mind that a religious atmosphere in the Sunday- 
school helps to enforce the meaning and purpose of the 
entire course of teaching. Hence, the constant need 
for keeping the whole tone of the school, in the conduct 
of business, as well as the devotional exercises, in har- 
mony with the religious spirit and purpose of the lessons. 
The spirit and bearing of the officers and teachers in 
the whole conduct of the school are among the edu- 
cational forces of the school, and ought to produce in 
the pupil reverence in worship and to bring home to his 
heart and conscience the divine message. (3) The 
various denominations may desire to prepare supple- 
mental lessons connected with their distinctive histories, 
doctrines and customs. It is of the utmost importance 
that care should be taken to introduce these at the ap- 
propriate periods, relating them as far as possible with 
the method of the entire course. When it is desired to 
have forms of prayer and historic hymns memorized, or 
a church catechism taught, or systematized forms of 
Christlike service pursued, these, too, should be so cor- 
related with the aims and method of the successive 
courses as to form one consistent scheme of education 
which shall stimulate the pupil's interest, quicken his 
memory, and guide him into habits of faith, worship, 
and service. 



232 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

GRADED SERIES: BEGINNERS' COURSE 
(Approximate ages of pupils : Four aud five years. ) 

Aim of the Course 
To Lead the Little Child to the Father 
By Helping Him ; 

1. To know God, the heavenly Father, who loves him, 
provides for, and protects him. 

2. To know Jesus the Son of God, who became a lit- 
tle child, who went about doing good, and who is the 
friend and Saviour of little children. 

3. To know about the heavenly home. 

4. To distinguish between right and wrong. 

5. To show his love for God by working with him and 
for others. 

Note. — The Bible verses for the children are chosen for their simple 
statement of the truth taught, and are not given as mere memory work, 
but simply to be used often by the teacher, so that they shall sink into 
the children's minds and unconsciously become their possession. 

GRADED SERIES : PRIMARY COURSE 
(Grades 1, 2 and 3. Approximate ages : Six, seven and eight years.) 

Aim of the Course 

To Lead the Child to Know the Heavenly Father, and to Inspire 

within Him a Desire to Live as God's Child: 

1. To show forth God's power, love, and care, and to 
awaken within the child responsive love, trust and obedi- 
ence. 

2. To build upon the teachings of the first year, (1) by 
showing ways in which children may express their love, 
trust and obedience ; (2) by showing Jesus the Saviour, 
in his love and work for men ; and (3) by showing how 
helpers of Jesus and others learn to do God's will. 



GRADED LESSONS 233 

3. To build upon the work of the first and second 
years by telling (1) about people who chose to do God's 
will; (2) how Jesus, by his life and words, death and res- 
urrection, revealed the Father's love and will for us ; 
(3) such stories as will make a strong appeal to the child 
and arouse within him a desire to choose and to do that 
which God requires of him. 

GRADED SERIES: JUNIOR COURSE 
(Grades 4-7. Approximate ages ; Nine, ten, eleven and twelve.) 

Aim of the Course 

1. To awaken an interest in the Bible, and love for 
it ; to deepen the impulse to choose and to do right. 

2. To present the ideal of moral heroism ; to reveal 
the power and majesty of Jesus Christ, and to show his 
followers going forth in his strength to do his work. 

3. To deepen the sense of responsibility for right 
choices ; to show the consequences of right and wrong 
choices ; to strengthen love of the right and hatred of the 



wrong. 



4. To present Jesus as our example and Saviour ; to 
lead the pupil to appreciate his opportunities for service, 
and to give him a vision of what it means to be a Chris- 
tian. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE TEACHERS' MEETING 

By Mr, Marion Lawrance, General Secretary of the International Sunday- 
school Convention 

First of all have a teachers' meeting. — It is quite im- 
possible to fully estimate the value of a properly con- 
ducted teachers' meeting. Certainly all Christians are 
agreed that the Sunday-school is the most fertile field the 
church can possibly cultivate. This is because it is easier 
to win children to the kingdom of God than it is to win 
adults. Not only that, but they are much more valuable 
in Christian service when they begin in their youth. 
Fully four-fifths of those who join our churches by con- 
version, both in this country and England, have come 
through the Sunday-school. Some one has said, and 
wisely so, that when it comes to winning souls for God 
in the Sunday-school, " The pastor is across the street, the 
superintendent is at arm's length, but the teacher is face 
to face" The teacher has the place of greatest oppor- 
tunity. In view of these facts, can anything h be more 
important than training the teachers in the art, not only 
of teaching, but of soul winning ? Only about one 
church in thirty-three in the United States and Canada 
has a teachers' meeting, and yet no service of the church, 
not even the Sunday preaching service, bears a more vital 
relation to the permanent growth and strength of the 
church than does the teachers' meeting. It will take 

234 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 235 

determination, work, perseverance, push, and prayer, but 
it is worth more than it costs. Have a teachers' meeting ! 
The real purpose of the teachers' meeting. — A failure 
on the part of many to fully comprehend its importance 
is the reason for the great apathy concerning it in many 
quarters. No superintendent who fully realizes its real 
purpose and value will willingly do without it. First, 
let me say that the name is in some respects a handicap. 
The true teachers' meeting is not any more for the 
teachers than it is for the officers, and for several other 
classes of people whom we shall name later. It is for the 
purpose of helping all those who have anything to do 
with the management of the Sunday-school, whether 
officers, teachers, or helpers. Of course the most of the 
time should be given to the consideration of the lesson 
for the following Sunday, and yet this meeting is not so 
much to study the lesson as to study the methods of pre- 
senting the lesson. We have many valuable lesson helps 
which throw light upon the lessons, and give us more 
than we can possibly teach. The teachers' meeting, how- 
ever, will enable the teachers to help each other, by giv- 
ing them the benefit of each others' ideas. It will tend 
to unify the teaching in the school, and this is important. 
There should be ample time given, also, for the considera- 
tion of anything that has to do with the management of 
the school, including the duties of all the officers. Dis- 
cussions concerning the grading of the school, the 
library, the preparations for Christmas, Easter, etc., and, 
indeed, anything else which has to do with the welfare 
of the school, are as appropriate at the teachers' meeting 
as the treatment of the lesson. Help should be rendered 



236 SPAKKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

where help is needed, and when all the officers, as well as 
the teachers, learn that they get something at the teachers' 
meeting which will help them in their particular work, 
they will be more likely to attend. The teachers' meet- 
ing enables the school to concentrate on the weak places. 
I am not sure but " The Weekly Sunday-school Council " 
would be a better name than " Teachers' Meeting." 

When and where shall it be held ? — If possible, always 
have a fixed night and always meet at the church. 
The advantages of meeting at the church are numer- 
ous. Those who are absent from the teachers' meet- 
ing will know exactly when and where it is to meet 
the following week. Then you have the conveniences 
for the meeting, such as a blackboard, etc., which 
you do not have in a private house. It is far better 
to give a whole evening to it, and this will be found 
quite little enough time when its real value is understood. 
A teachers' meeting tacked on before or after another 
meeting, while a great deal better than none, falls far be- 
low its possibilities. As to the best time in the week, 
we favor Friday night (if it does not conflict with the 
prayer-meeting), for the reason that it is nearer Sunday. 
The teachers will have had time to study the lesson, and 
consequently their exchange of views will make the 
meeting brighter and more helpful to each other. How- 
ever, any night in the week, provided you can have the 
whole evening, is better than any other night if you can 
have but part of the evening. Some will say that they 
cannot spend two nights a week, giving one to the prayer- 
meeting and one to the teachers' meeting. We have often 
heard this, and used to believe it, but our observation is 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 237 

that in practice it is not so. If the two meetings are 
properly conducted, the one should make them hungry 
for the other. 

Who should be in charge of the teachers' meeting ? — 
The superintendent. It is his meeting. It does not fol- 
low that he should teach the lesson. That should be 
done by the person best adapted to do it, but the super- 
intendent should be in general charge of the meeting. 
It is really his cabinet, his board of counselors, and he 
should be free to present at that time anything that 
needs to be considered relating to the welfare of the 
school. Indeed, he should have a carefully prepared pro- 
gram for each meeting, having previously decided upon 
what items should receive attention. 

Who should attend the teachers' meeting ?— Certainly 
the pastor, if he can possibly do so. He cannot come 
into such close touch with the forces that are to win 
members for the church at any other time or place as in 
the teachers' meeting. Certainly the superintendent and 
all his assistants and all of the officers of the Sunday- 
school ought to be there to know what is going on, and 
get help for their special work. Certainly all of the 
teachers. We say without hesitation that the teacher 
who can attend the teachers' meeting and does not do so 
is not showing the sort of interest that is necessary to 
succeed. We believe, however, that teachers will come 
if they are helped, unless providentially hindered. In 
addition to the above classes we would name two more. 
First, the supply teachers, i. e., those who are to take the 
place of any teachers who may be absent, and also the 
prospective teachers, those who are looking forward to 



238 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

occupying the teachers' office. They may at present be 
members of the normal class. This meeting will be a 
very great help to them. 

Fundamental features of the teachers' meeting. — There 
are three: 1. Devotional exercises. 2. Instruction. 
3. Business. 

The devotional exercises should not be crowded into a 
corner. We should never be in too great a hurry to take 
time for prayer and song. There should be much prayer. 
Prayer not only for the school itself, but especially for 
the next Sunday's service. Prayer for the sick, for the 
dying, for the absent, for those who are spiritually in- 
terested, for the indifferent, etc. 

Instruction should include not only the treatment of 
the lesson for the following Sunday, but any normal 
work that may be done and the discussion of practical 
methods of Sunday-school work. 

Under the heading of business, everything should be 
included that has to do with the Sunday-school manage- 
ment, together with the hearing of reports of committees, 
etc. 

The relation of these various items to each other will 
be best determined by local needs, but we should say on 
general principles that the discussion of the lesson for the 
following Sunday should take about half the time of 
the entire session. Divide the rest of the time pretty 
evenly between the devotional exercises and business. 
An hour and a quarter is quite short enough, and an hour 
and a half is much better for the whole meeting. 

Desirable equipment. — A good blackboard is indispen- 
sable. If there is not a blackboard built into the wall, as 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 239 

in a public-school building, we recommend the patent 
revolving board as the best. It is very light, convenient, 
and sightly. Lecturer's chalk is preferable to ordinary 
school crayon. Get two sizes. One has the sticks one 
inch square and three inches long, and comes in colors, 
six sticks in a box. The other is one-half inch square 
and three inches long, and comes twelve sticks in a box. 
Plain, simple lettering is always the best, and no stroke 
of the crayon should ever be made which is so light it 
cannot be well seen across the room. 

There should be at least three maps, one of Palestine, 
one showing all of the Bible lands, and a third Paul's 
missionary journeys. Other maps may be useful, but 
these will answer. It is better to have maps which roll 
up out of the way. They last longer and stay cleaner. 
George F. Perry's chart, entitled " The Life of Christ," 
is also very desirable, and is likewise a relief map of 
Palestine. I would recommend also a teachers' library. 
A library of fifty choice books selected with a view of 
helping the teachers will do the Sunday-school more good 
than a scholars' library of several times that number of 
volumes. A list of " Fifty Best Books for Sunday-school 
Workers " will be furnished free by the writer upon ap- 
plication. 

Who should teach the lesson ? — If you have in your 
church one person who is especially adapted to do this 
particular work, whether it be pastor, superintendent, or 
teacher, that person may be placed in charge of the lesson 
period. There are advantages in this arrangement, chief 
among which is that one regular leader can plan his work 
in advance and maintain more continuity of study than 



240 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

could be secured in any other way. In most churches the 
pastor is best adapted for this work. In many churches, 
however, there is no such person who can be depended 
upon, and some other plan must be devised. Sometimes 
it is well to select a few of the best teachers you have, 
and have them take turns in teaching the lesson. An- 
other very helpful way, and one which can be used in any 
school, whether they have a good leader or not, is by the 
use of " angles," which will be referred to later. 

Various methods of conducting the lesson period. — 
1. Probably the most common one is that of having one 
teacher conduct the lesson study regularly. If this 
method is followed, the leader should not lecture to the 
teachers. Not one leader in a hundred can profitably 
lead a teachers' meeting indefinitely by the lecture 
method. The cemetery is full of teachers' meetings that 
have been talked to death, and their skeletons rise up 
out of their graves to haunt us. Other things being 
equal, that teachers' meeting is the most profitable which 
has the largest number of contributors, provided they 
are all under the direction of a wise leader. 

2. Occasionally it is a good plan for the leader to 
pretend that the teachers are all primary scholars, or 
juniors, or intermediates, or young people, and teach ac- 
cordingly. This custom is prevalent in primary unions, 
but it may be profitably used in regular teachers' meet- 
ings where teachers of all grades are found. 

3. In some teachers' meetings the lesson is taught 
briefly twice and even three times by persons represent- 
ing different departments in the school. For instance, 
the primary teacher would go hastily over the lesson, 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 241 

bringing out those features which are most helpful to 
primary workers. Then a teacher of boys or girls would 
do the same thing, having in mind that department ; 
then, perhaps, a third leader would treat the lesson from 
the standpoint of an adult class. This method is not 
generally satisfactory, but many like it. 

4. One of the most helpful methods we have found is 
to assign a specific thought to each of a dozen teachers 
to prepare upon, each teacher presenting a different fea- 
ture. This is commonly called the "angle" method. 
The writer and many others have found it most valu- 
able, and it is rapidly growing in favor. It has two 
great advantages: first, a skilled leader is not necessary, 
though, of course, it is very desirable to have one. Al- 
most anybody is willing to lead the teachers' meeting by 
this method ; and then, in the second place, you are sure 
of at least a dozen people who will be ready to give 
thoughts upon the lesson from as many different " an- 
gles." The explanation of these "angles" is usually 
placed upon a little leaflet, all the " angles " being num- 
bered. These leaflets are handed out several weeks in 
advance by the one who is to lead the teachers' meeting 
to those whom he desires to help him, assigning one 
" angle " to each person. By looking over the following 
list of "angles" the scheme will be very easily under- 
stood. It is made plain that all present are invited to 
ask questions or otherwise contribute to the meeting. 
The lesson leader is expected to be prepared on all the 
angles so as to take the place of any who may be absent, 
and supplement such answers as may not be sufficiently 
complete. Of course those holding the " angles " should 



242 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 



be careful not to cover more territory than that which 
is implied in their own " angle." 



Angle No. x. — Approach. 

Give subject of last lesson, brief 
intervening history, time, place, 
and circumstances leading to this 
lesson. 

Angle No. 2. — The Lesson Story. 
Give the lesson story in your own 
words. 

Angle No. 3. — Analysis. 

Give a simple working outline for 
studying and teaching the lesson. 

Angle No. 4. — References. 

Give helpful references and par- 
allel passages showing how they 
bear upon the lesson. 

Angle No. 5. — Biography. 

Give names of persons, classes, 
and nations mentioned or re- 
ferred to. 

Angle No. 6. — Orientalisms. 

Give any Oriental customs or 
manners peculiar to this lesson. 



Angle No. 7. — Principle Teach- 
ings. 

Give the principle truths most 
forcibly taught. 

Angle No. 8. — First Step. 

Give a good way to introduce 
this lesson to your class so as to 
secure attention from the start. 

Angle No. 9. — Primary. 

Give the features of this lesson 
which are best adapted to small 
children. 

Angle No. 10. — Objects. 

Give names of any objects which 
might be profitably shown in 
teaching this lesson. 

Angle No. 11. — Illustrations. 
Give a few incidents or facts that 
will serve as illustrations. 

Angle No. 12. — Practical Lessons. 
Give the most practical lessons in 
personally applying the lesson to 
the every-day life of the scholars. 



Special features in the teachers' meeting. — Monotony 
takes the edge off from anything, and the teachers' meet- 
ing is no exception. There should be as much variety in 
the program of the meeting as is consistent with its gen- 
eral plan and purpose. We will suggest a few things 
that have been tried with success. 

1. A ten-minute normal drill, designed to aid the 
teachers along the line of pedagogy, Bible history, ge- 
ography, etc. 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 243 

2. Have a short paper, not over seven or eight minutes 
in length, on some practical theme of Sunday-school 
work, either general or local, the persons to take these 
parts being previously notified. Among the topics for 
consideration might be such as the following and others 
similar : 

How may we double our member- What about new song books ? 

ship ? How increase our missionary offer- 

How to get the most out of a lesson . 9 

i 1 o * 

~, „ , , vu How shall we observe Christmas? 

Shall we try to have a library ? 

The social side of our school life. 0ur dut y to absent and irregular 

My idea of a good teacher. (Told scholars. 

by several scholars. ) The value of class organization, etc. 

Some meetings might be designated as " scholars' 
night," each teacher to bring one member of his class 
just to see what the teachers' meeting is. 

3. In schools of considerable size it will be pleasant 
and profitable to put the devotional exercises of the meet- 
ing in charge of the officers of a given department of the 
school. For instance, suppose you have a cradle roll ; 
let the superintendent of the Cradle Eoll Department 
take charge of the devotional exercises at one meeting. 
This officer would open the meeting in the usual way, 
except that the hymns and prayers, and Scripture, also, 
if any, would be appropriate to the cradle roll work. 
Then a brief report of the department would be given, 
stating how many members they have, and how the 
teachers can help to carry forward the work of the de- 
partment, reciting also any cases of special interest ; this 
followed by a season of prayer for that department. In 



244 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

the same way, only on another night, the Home Depart- 
ment could be considered ; then the beginners, primaries, 
j uniors, intermediates, young men, adults. Also such other 
activities as the Sunshine Band, the Messenger Boys, etc. 

4. Devote ten minutes at each session to an "imagi- 
nary tour" through the countries spoken of in the lessons. 
Appoint in advance one person to read a paper each 
night, which purports to have been written from the 
place of the lesson for that evening, and at the very time 
the incident occurred. Take the first quarter of 1904 for 
instance. Our lessons are all about Christ, beginning 
with his boyhood. Suppose letters were written from 
such points as " Jerusalem," "Jordan's Banks," "Naz- 
areth," " Capernaum," " Sea of Galilee," etc., following 
the course of lessons as closely as possible. One paper 
should begin where the other left off, and thus keep the 
imaginary party in constant company with those about 
whom they are studying. The thought is the same as 
that contained in the book entitled, " The Prince of the 
House of David," though, of course, on a very small scale. 
This plan has worked admirably with us on several occa- 
sions. 

5. It is a good thing to have some special object for 
prayer each week during, say, a quarter. Suppose at one 
teachers' meeting the superintendent should make this 
announcement : " Our special prayer for the coming 
week and next teachers' meeting will be for the Young 
Men's Department," or, " For God's blessing upon our 
decision day," or, " That the Lord will send us more 
teachers," etc., etc. The good effect of this is that it 
gets all to thinking and praying about the same thing. 



THE TEACHERS' MEETING 245 

Caution. — Do not try to have more than one of these 
special features in operation at once. 

How to work up the attendance. — First of all, the best 
attraction is to have a good, helpful, live teachers' meet- 
ing. However, even then all you want to reach will not 
come. Keep after them. Try to lay it upon the heart 
of each department superintendent to get all of his 
officers and teachers out to this meeting. We have often 
done this by putting figures on the board. For instance, 
calling the roll of the departments, the primary superin- 
tendent would say, " We have ten officers and teachers 
present, six absent." Enter this upon the board. Call 
the various departments in this way. When the figures 
are all before the teachers, they can see what department 
is showing up the best at the teachers' meeting. 

Another good way is to encourage the teachers who 
are present and are interested to speak about it on the 
next Sunday to those teachers in the school who sit near 
them and did not attend, urging them to come to the 
teachers' meeting. 

Always announce the teachers' meeting in the Sunday- 
school. Do not " hammer " the teachers for not coming, 
but announce the meeting in such a w r ay that those who 
do not come will feel that they are missing something. 
Send personal letters to those who are absent, taking it for 
granted that all the officers and teachers will be there if 
they can. Even if you have the best teachers' meeting 
in the world, it will take special effort, and a great deal 
of it, to get some of your teachers there. However, 
keep at it. 

The quarterly teachers' meeting — If the teachers' 



246 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

meeting is held every week, there is always one meeting 
in the quarter when there is no lesson to study. This is 
the meeting preceding the last Sunday of the quarter, 
which is review day. Do not, on any account, give up 
this meeting. It is the most important of all. It can be 
profitably used for several purposes. First, it gives an 
admirable opportunity to review the work of the past 
quarter and to plan for the new quarter. Also to look 
over the school in general and discover, if possible, where 
the weak places are, and try to strengthen them. At 
this meeting it is a good thing to have the roll-call of all 
officers and teachers, thus showing who are present and 
who are absent. There may be opportunity also for a 
brief talk from the pastor, or, possibly, from some one 
invited in from outside. It is well to have a special 
prayer service for the blessing of God upon your work. 
Meetings of this kind are just as valuable to the Sunday- 
school as the meetings of the bank directors are to a 
bank. Just in proportion as the work of the school is 
laid upon the hearts of those who are responsible for it, 
the school will prosper. It would not be out of place to 
have some refreshments on this night. 

Finally. — Remember that everything that is really 
worth while costs much effort and persevering labor. 
Determine not only to have a teachers' meeting, but to 
have the very best teachers' meeting possible, and by 
God's blessing you will have it. 

Plan your work ; then work your plan. 



CHAPTER VII 

GAINING AND RETAINING SCHOLARS 
By Rev. A. H. 3P Kinney, Ph. JD. 

Two very important questions are being asked and 
considered in many places and in various ways. They 
are : How shall we recruit our Bible School ? How 
shall we retain those who join our school ? Definite 
answers to these questions will depend in a large measure 
on the locality of a particular school, what was accom- 
plished therein in the past, and what is being attempted 
just now. There are, however, some general principles 
that may be laid down for the guidance of workers in all 
places. From these principles, rules may be deduced to 
apply to particular localities and to especial needs. 

Much depends on the local sentiment that has been 
developed concerning the Bible school. The creation 
of this sentiment does not depend upon any one class 
of workers, but upon the general attitude of Christians 
in a given locality in reference to the value and the 
work of the school. Pastor, church officers, Bible-school 
officers, teachers, and members, together with the 
parents and the friends of those who are, and those who 
ought to be, in the membership of the school, all have 
to do with the creation and the maintenance of this 
sentiment. The theological student, who, when a 
teacher in a Bible school, persistently prayed for the 

247 



248 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

little boys and girls present, helped to create a sentiment 
that finds expression in young people leaving the Bible 
school, because it is by them regarded as a place for 
little boys and girls. My good friend, the zealous 
superintendent, who, the other Sunday just before the 
prayer, said, "I want every little child here to bow 
his head," is unconsciously, but nevertheless very really, 
helping to emphasize the sentiment that the Bible school 
is for little children only. 

Those well-meaning but very foolish persons who 
always talk about the Bible school as being the nursery 
of the church help to develop a sentiment which takes 
boys and girls out of the school, because of their think- 
ing that a nursery is a place for babies. Contrariwise, 
those who pray for, and talk about, the young men and 
the young women of the Bible school, who frequently 
speak of the men and women of our school, do much to 
arouse a sentiment which results in bringing youths 
and adults into the school and in keeping them there. 
He who talks about the Bible school as the gymnasium 
of the church helps to create the sentiment that it is 
the place in which growing Christians may get strong 
and in which developed children of God may exercise 
the highest powers bestowed upon them by their heavenly 
Father. 

Sympathetic and continuous cooperation among those 
connected with the various departments of the church 
work renders possible the kind of sentiment advocated 
in the foregoing. The time has long since passed when 
intelligent, active Christians talked about the church 
and the Sunday-school as if they were two. In these 



GAINING AND RETAINING SCHOLARS 249 

days the wise pastor and his alert co-workers recognize 
that the Bible school is a part of the church, and always 
speak of it as such. The Bible school is the church 
studying the Word of God. There is no divorcing of 
the school from the church any more than there is a 
separation of the communion service from the preaching 
service. 

Next to the pastor and the church officials the most 
helpful cooperators in this field are those earnest Chris- 
tian parents who are seeking the highest good for their 
children. They recognize the value of the work and the 
influence of the Bible school and are desirous that their 
offspring should derive the greatest possible benefit 
therefrom. Hence, they cooperate to the limit of their 
ability in the endeavor to make and to keep the school 
what it should be, and by example and precept they 
strive to have the young people think highly of the 
school. 

There is an anecdote current in the central part of 
the Empire State to the effect that in the home of a 
certain clergyman there were seven children. In due 
time the four sons became clergymen, and the three 
daughters married clergymen. When father or mother 
was asked how such a phenomenal state of affairs had 
been brought about, the reply would be somewhat as 
follows : " In our home we always made it our practice 
in the presence of our children to speak of the church 
as the grandest institution on earth, and of the ministry 
as the noblest calling in the world. When we had any- 
thing in the way of adverse criticism of the church or 
of any one connected therewith, or when we had some- 



250 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

thing discouraging to talk about, we kept it for the 
privacy of our own room and for a time when our 
children would not hear it." Wise father and mother ! 
The moral ? 

The cradle roll is an important aid in enlisting recruits 
for the Bible school. We are wiser in some respects, 
at least, in these days than were those who went before 
us. In no way is this wisdom more marked than in 
the carrying out of the plan to enroll the little ones of 
our congregation as members of the Bible school, if not 
as soon as they are born, at least as soon as the} r are 
named. The school that does not number a cradle roll 
among its agencies for good is overlooking one of the 
simplest, easiest, and most effective methods for recruit- 
ing the membership thereof. It needs no prophet to 
foretell the fact that the mother, when the proper time 
comes, will send her little one to the Bible school of 
which it is already an enrolled member through the 
Cradle Roll Department. 

The Home Department is at the other extreme of the 
Bible-school effort, and yet it is so closely related to the 
cradle roll that in reference to many homes it is almost 
impossible to think of the one without having the other 
one come to mind. The mother who is a member of 
the Home Department is most likely to have her child's 
name on the cradle roll, and, on the other hand, where 
the infant is first enrolled as a member of the school, 
it is very likely to follow that the mother also becomes 
a member through the Home Department. A well-con- 
ducted Home Department is a feeder for all the other 
departments of the school from the primary up. 



GAINING AND RETAINING SCHOLARS 251 

Every school should have a corps of missionaries. — 
What ! paid missionaries ? No ; volunteer missionaries. 
Impossible ! No, indeed ; quite the contrary. By the 
exercise of a little ingenuity a number of active volun- 
teers may be secured. How ? By enlisting the boys 
and the girls of the school to act as missionaries. Many 
superintendents have not yet learned the fact that the 
very best missionary to boys of ten is a boy of ten, that 
girls of twelve can bring into the school more girls of 
twelve than can any one else. Get your boys and girls 
to promise that they will be missionaries, instruct them 
how to proceed, and when they have brought in new 
pupils give them credit for what they have done. This 
credit should not be in the shape of a reward with 
monetary value, but should be a public recognition car- 
rying with it some honor. Just how the volunteers are 
to work will depend on the locality. For example: A 
girl brought into a large city school a number of pupils. 
Upon being questioned as to her methods she said : " I 
watch the vans." Her plan was to watch the furniture 
vans to learn when a new family migrated into the 
neighborhood. Ascertaining the house into which the 
newcomers moved, if there were children among them, 
she became acquainted with them, invited them to visit 
her Sunday-school, and, if allowed to do so, called for 
them and took them with her to Sunday-school. This 
plan, of course, would not be very fruitful in results in 
country districts, but it is suggestive of what may be 
done. If the boys and the girls are brought together 
and allowed to discuss the matter informally, they will 
suggest methods that will surprise the older folks, but 



252 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

that, nevertheless, will bring pupils into the school. The 
one great evil to be guarded against is that of yielding 
to the temptation to entice pupils away from other 
schools. The following principles should be adopted, 
distinctly understood, and lived up to : — 

1. No members of neighboring schools will be ac- 
cepted as members of this school. 

2. No former members of neighboring schools will be 
enrolled until they have shown good reasons for leaving 
those schools. 

Getting pupils into a school in most localities is nothing 
like as difficult as holding them in the school. The mis- 
take has been, perhaps, that too much thought has been 
given to the getting and too little to the holding. The 
average Bible school has been compared to the river 
Nile, which is full to overflowing at times. Many schools 
are full about Christmas time or just before some especial 
occasion. At other times they are at a very low ebb. 

The following will have much to do with the condition 
of the school. 

Admission should not be made too easy. — The cheaper 
a thing is, the less the regard which the ordinary person 
has for it. Conversely, that which is difficult of acquire- 
ment is desired by most persons. The Bible school that 
admits everybody indiscriminately does not occupy a 
high place in the thought of the community. If a Bible 
school would rise to a plane from which it could an- 
nounce, We purpose to admit only those who will prom- 
ise to help make this the very lest possible school, people 
would be eager to join. 

Persons who have left other schools for some fancied 



GAINING AND EETAINING SCHOLARS 253 

slight or for some trivial reason would not be admitted 
into such a school, and those who unite with the school 
about a month before Christmas and disappear a month 
afterward could not become members of such a school, 
for the simple reason that only in extraordinary cases 
would admissions be made between November 15th and 
January 1st. 

Atmosphere helps greatly. — What is atmosphere? 
Who can define it ? Everybody knows what it is how- 
ever. A stranger visits a school and at once feels that it 
is a good place in which to be, and he desires to come 
again. Just what it is that attracts and holds him he 
cannot say. It is the atmosphere of the school. The 
next Sunday he visits another school. At once he is re- 
pelled, and it would be almost impossible to get him to 
return. Again it is the atmosphere. Some of the ele- 
ments of a good atmospheric condition in a Bible school 
are : — 

ACTIVITY, 

EEVEEENCE, 

SPIEITUALITY, 

EESPONSIVENESS, 

COEDIALITY. 

If first of all the superintendent exhibits these qualities, 
and in the second place the officers manifest them, the 
teachers will likewise strive for them, and the majority 
of the pupils will follow suit. Then the school has an 
atmosphere that people like, and it holds those who 
come to it. Of course, there must be much prayer, un- 
remitting labor, and eternal vigilance on the part of the 
leaders to maintain such an atmosphere. But, oh, how 



254 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

it pays. After "Will had been a member of a certain 
Bible school for four years, had accepted Christ as his 
Saviour, and had united with the church, I said to him: 
"What first brought you to our school?" " Well, it 
was this way. I used to play with Fred. On Sunday 
afternoons he always stopped the game to go to Sunday- 
school, so I said : ' If you are going to do that, I might 
as well go with you and see what your school is like.' I 
came one Sunday and I liked the school so much that I 
have attended it ever since." It was the atmosphere 
that affected the visitor. 

A well-arranged order of service, varied from Sunday 
to Sunday and carried out without breaks, will do much 
to hold pupils, especially the elder ones. Of course, the 
program is but the reflection of the man behind it. The 
one who declares that the Holy Spirit runs his school, 
and is too lazy to make adequate preparation for his 
opening and closing devotional services, deceives no 
one. The boy who demanded of a minister, " Would 
you go to a Sunday-school where the superintendent 
read the First Psalm for seven Sundays in succession ? " 
was not fooled, and put a question very difficult to 
answer. He who really seeks the help of the Holy 
Spirit will make the best possible preparation for his 
platform work, and then he can pray sincerely for a 
blessing upon it. His good work will do much to hold 
all, but especially the older pupils in the school. 

Grading is a great help in holding pupils. The number 
of schools that recognize the value and are reaping the 
benefits of grading is rapidly increasing. There are 
still some timid officers who are afraid that the numbers 



GAINING AND RETAINING SCHOLAES 255 

in their schools will be reduced if they attempt to grade. 
There will be, perhaps, some opposition at first, but soon 
the value of grading will be recognized, and only those 
who are so selfish that they have no regard for the wel- 
fare of the school will ask to go back to the antiquated, 
ungraded system. More large boys and girls than most 
persons know leave the Bible school because it is not 
graded properly. Many of these may be retained when 
grading is adapted as the proper thing. 

Rewards may be made a helpful factor in the solution 
of many problems connected with the Bible school. The 
distinction between prizes and rewards is now quite gen- 
erally recognized. A prize which can be obtained by one 
individual, or at best by a very few, does more harm than 
good. On the other hand, a reward which may be won 
by all those who fulfil certain specified conditions can- 
not be too highly commended. In very many places 
thoughtful workers are applauding the following senti- 
ment: We should scold evil-doers less, and commend 
more those who do well. This commendation is frequently 
accompanied with a reward. What this reward should 
be must be determined by local conditions. It is gen- 
erally best to have it in the form of a public honor or 
a public recognition of some kind. There is a sense of 
justice in young people to which this kind of reward 
strongly appeals. Let us hope, pray, and work for the 
coming of that time when the pupil who has been present 
during the year at one-eighth or one-quarter of the ses- 
sions of the Bible school will not receive from the school 
the same gift at Christmas as does the one who has at- 
tended three-quarters or seven-eighths of the sessions. 



256 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

Then will be put upon faithfulness a premium which will 
result in a larger registry and a higher yearly percentage 
of attendance. 

The exhortation to teachers to visit their pupils has 
been passed along so frequently that it has become 
threadbare. Nevertheless, there is nothing that cements 
the tie that binds young and old to their classes and to 
the school that quite equals the visits paid by teachers 
and officers. There are some exceptional cases where 
regular visitation is not possible, and others where it is 
not advisable, but when this has been admitted, it is 
true that very many officers and teachers do not visit as 
they might. Many cases have recently come under the 
writer's observation, where extra efforts put forth in this 
line have resulted in unhoped-for benefits to the school, 
not merely in obtaining new members therefor, but also 
in retaining in the school those who were about to drop 
out, and in stimulating those who were becoming care- 
less. Teacher, visit your pupils. If you cannot visit, 
write to them. Superintendent, do the same to your fel- 
low-workers, and note the result. 

Teachers' meeting.— Somewhere and somehow, once a 
week if possible, under no circumstances less than once a 
month, there should be held a teachers' meeting. Where 
the weekly teachers' meeting is held, a threefold reason 
for its existence should ever be kept in view and lived up 
to in actual practice : — 

1. It should bind the workers together in a spiritual 
atmosphere. 

2. It should result in better teaching on the Sabbath. 

3. It should give to the school those plans and 



GAINING AND RETAINING SCHOLARS 257 

methods which make possible all of the foregoing sug- 
gestions. 

In the practical carrying out of these plans it is taken 
for granted that officers and teachers are praying men and 
women who study their Bibles and who look for inspira- 
tion and power from him who wants to be the leader in 
their great work, even to the Holy Spirit himself. 



CHAPTER VIII 
printer's ink 

In many large Sunday-schools the superintendent uses 
the printing-press to very good advantage. As he can- 
not possibly reach the teachers, officers, and scholars per- 
sonally, or by pen, he sends them messages through the 
mail, but in printed form. That this is effective, no one 
will deny, for all love to know that they are remembered. 

Lately we visited the famous school of the Bush wick 
Avenue Central Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn. 
The school numbers well over two thousand members, 
and the amount of printing that they do is very great. 

Now, having gone as far as this, it occurs to us that 
many teachers and superintendents will at once say, 
" We cannot afford to pay for printer's ink." Well, I 
am not sure of that. But if you cannot, you can get 
some form of multiplier, of which there are many on the 
market, and do your own multiplying of letters or forms, 
and in this way do your school much good. And if your 
class is a small one, numbering say only ten members, 
you can use pen and ink to good advantage. If you do 
not believe this, all that you have to do is to try it, and 
you will be convinced of the truth of what we say. 

Of course it is not possible, on account of lack of 
space, for us to give anything like all of the printed forms 
that this school uses. But we will give some of them as 

258 



printer's ink 259 

specimens, so that others may see what one grand school 
does in this line. Here, for example, is an invitation for 
Rally Day. 



BUSHWICK AVENUE CENTRAL METHODIST EPISCOPAL 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL., BROOKLYN, N. Y. 

RALLY DAY, SEPT. 30, 1906. 

Bear Friend : How glad we shall be, after the separa- 
tions of the summer, to get our big Sunday-school family 
together on Sunday, September 30th, for our Bally Day 
services. Many have a fine record for faithful summer 
attendance upon Sunday-school while at home and away, 
and do not need to be rallied in that respect. But Rally 
Day gives us all an opportunity to greet each other, to have 
our hearts cheered by an inspiring service, and to move 
forward with one accord in our important Sunday-school 
work. 

A program has been prepared worth coming to hear. 
The decorations will be attractive. There will be a roll 
call of the classes. We trust your class will get the recog- 
nition for " every member present. 7 ' Don't disappoint 
your teacher and class and superintendent by being absent. 

Let us make this the greatest Rally Day session our 
school has ever had ; the bugle note for better attendance, 
better lesson study, better interest than ever before. To 
accomplish this, we must have your help and presence. 

I hope you will endeavor to be on hand ten minutes 
before 2 : 30 to greet your teacher, superintendent, and 
friends. And I should be greatly pleased if we could have 
this prompt attendance every Sunday. 

Very cordially, 

Frank L. Brown, 
Superintendent of Sunday -school. 

P. S. — Will you not evidence your interest in the 
school by a hearty invitation to at least one neighbor or 
friend to join our school on Rally Day, if not attending 



260 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

elsewhere ? Secure, if possible, a member for the Cradle 
Boll or Home Department, and hand names, with birthday, 
to the Secretary or Superintendent. 

This school makes much of its Home Department, and 
to members of this department it sends the following 
greeting on their birthdays. 



JSuebwicft BY>enues=Gentral 
/IRetboDfst Episcopal SunDa^scbooI 



FRANK L. BROWN, Supt., I no Bushwick Ave. 

HOME DEPARTMENT 
RICHARD W. WEST, Supt, 629 Decatur St. 

JBroofclsn, W. J?., 190 

Dear Friend : It is our glad privilege to congratulate 
you as a member of our Home Department, on a new Birth- 
day Anniversary. 

This day is a silent reminder that you are a year's march 
nearer the eternal home. And what is it that makes home 
the dear spot it is ? It is not the building, not the adorn- 
ments of the rooms, but the persons that make home. The 
precious things of life and memory are associated with the 
personality of our dear ones ; their unselfishness and pa- 
tience and unfailing love. It is these things that linger like 
a sweet atmosphere about our after years as we think of 
home, and we 

Long for the touch of a vanished hand, 
For the sound of a voice that is still. 

And the charm and the joy of that home country toward 
which we are traveling is that some one is there whom we 
know and love — one who has loved us and given himself 
for us, and won our heart and our life's best service. It is 
Christ that makes heaven. Do we really know him and 
love him ? If we do he will prepare the home for us, and 
will prepare us for the home by life's daily discipline ; 



printer's IKK 261 

loosening our grip little by little upon the things we hold 
here so tightly. 

Nearer my Father's house Nearer the bounds of life 

Where the inany mansions be, Where we lay our burden down, 

Nearer the great white throne, Nearer leaving the cross, 

Nearer the crystal sea. Nearer gaining the crown. 

We hope you have been helped during the year by your 
Bible Home Eeadings and by the study of the precious 
Guide Book to our Home, and by the fellowship of our 
Home Department. 

Cordially yours, 



Of course so large a school has a large corps of teachers, 
and new ones come to the school constantly to take the 
places of those who have to withdraw. To each new 
teacher the following is sent. 

asuebwicft Sv>e* *♦ B* 

SUNDA Y-SCffOOL. 

Brooklyn, N. Y., Feb. 2, 1906. 

Dear Friend : We are very glad to welcome you as a 
member of our Teachers' Board, and wish that you would 
at once feel that you are a vital part of our great school 
work, and that the Master calls upon you to do your best 
for him in this field. We stand ready to cooperate with you 
in the fullest possible way to make your class or other work 
a success. 

Will you permit the following suggestions! 

Attendance is urged upon the monthly business meet- 
ings the second Thursday of each month, and the meetings 
for lesson study as announced. 

Be at school before 2 : 30 to greet your class, and thus 
assist in making the opening prompt, reverential, and 
orderly. 

See that your scholars join heartily in the singing and 
reading of Scriptures, and that they reverently bow their 



262 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

heads and avoid all talking during prayer. Scholars are 
not permitted to leave before close of session without per- 
mission of one of the associate superintendents. 

Visit the homes of your new scholars promptly, and 
all your class as often as you can conveniently do so. The 
knowledge and sympathy thus gained will give wings to 
your work. 

Inspire your class to try for the school rewards for 
attendance and Memory Verse, Lesson Examinations, and 
Daily Home Beading of Bible, and strive with prayer and 
tact and love to win them to a choice of Jesus Christ. 

We pray that you will be greatly blessed in your work, 
and that for many years you will be here to labor with and 
for the Master. 

Fraternally yours, 

F. L. Brown, 
Superintendent 

The question of substitute teachers is solved in this 
school in the following way. Who does not see that 
this is common sense applied to Sunday-school manage- 
ment ? 



3Busbwfcfc Svenue^Gentral 
.fllbetboDlet Epfecopal SunDa^ScbooI 



FRANK L. BROWN, Supt, mo Bushwick Ave. 
HENRY SCRIVENS, Sec, 1026 Madison St. 
CHARLES I. CLARK, Treas., 1201 Jefferson Ave. 

:fBrookl£n, 1ft. f ♦, 190 

Dear Friend : In our large school there are of necessity 
every Sunday some of our teachers absent. 

To provide for these vacancies we have a substitute 
teacher's list of friends who will be willing to take a class 
not oftener than once a month, if notified during the week 
before the Sunday. It is needless to say that by serving in 
this way you will be doing the school and the Master a great 
service which will also, we believe, be a blessing to you. 



pklnter's ink 263 

I have placed your name on the list, confident that you 
will be glad to cooperate unless hindered by sickness or other 
good reason. 

If you have any preference as to department, whether 
Junior, Intermediate, or Senior, kindly let me know. With 
full appreciation of this service, 

Cordially yours, 



In order to carry out this plan of substitutes the 
following card is mailed to such teachers as they need, 
so that they may be prepared to act promptly on the 
following Sunday. 



JSusbwfcfc avenue /lib. 3E. SunDa^^Scbooi 

Brooklyn, igo 

Dear Friend : 

Will you kindly report for substitute service in 

the ...department next Sunday inst., at 

at 2 : 20 P. M. to M. „ „ 

and greatly oblige, 

Cordially yours, FRANK L. BROWN, Supt. 

Attendance at the meeting for lesson study on Saturday 
evening at 8 o'clock in the inner room may be of help to you 
in the preparation of the lesson for Sunday. 



In this school careful work is done in the matter of 
visitors. Lately I was there as a visitor. The follow- 
ing Saturday I received by mail the card, a copy of 
which is subjoined. Do you not suppose that if I had 



264 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

been looking for a Sunday-school home, and had received 
such a kindly card, I would have been likely to return to 
that school the following week ? 



Form 8. 7- 19-' 06 — 500. 

JSusbwfcft Bvenue^Central dfcetbo&tet Episcopal 
SunDa^Scbool 

CORN ER MADISON ST REET 

Brooklyn, N. Y., 190 

Dear Friend : We were very glad to see you among our 
visitors on Sunday last, and trust you found something of in- 
terest and profit in our school work. 

Should you not be connected with any other Sabbath-school, 
we would be pleased to have you become one of us, either in 
connection with our regular Sunday session or our Home De- 
partment. 

We shall be happy to greet you at any time. Very cordially, 



For Ushers' Committee. Superintendent, 



No detail seems to escape the watchful eye of the 
superintendent. Here for example is a copy of a letter 
sent to each member of the Cradle Roll. Of course the 
child cannot read it, but the mother can. It will make 
a deep impression on her heart, and rain or shine she will 
be there with her baby. Would not this be the case with 
you ? Then why not with others ? 

asusbvvtcfe Bvenue=Central 
/IBetboOfst Episcopal SunDa^=Scbool 

;«6rookiEn t m, ty. f Sept. 10, 1006. 
RALLY DAY, Sept. 30, 1906. 
Dear Little Cradle Boll Friend : You are so little you 
you may not know what a Sunday-school Eally Day is, 
but your mamma and papa will know, I am sure. 



printer's ink 



265 



We want everybody, big and little, at Sunday-school, 
Sunday, September 30th, at 2 : 30 P. m. That means you. 
Ask papa and mamma to bring you to the kindergarten 
room, on Madison Street, for we shall have a march around 
the room of all the members of the Cradle Eoll and their 
mammas and a real good time. We shall also have a pretty 
souvenir for you. 

In the senior department on Bally Day the pastor will 
baptize any Cradle Eoll babies whose parents may desire to 
bring them for that purpose. 
Lovingly yours, 

FEANK L. BEOWN, 

Superintendent of Sunday- school. 
MES. M. A. HUTCHINSON, 

Superintendent of Cradle Roll. 

Perhaps your mamma can bring to Mrs. Hutchinson the 
name and birthday of some other baby on Eally Day as a 
new member for our Cradle Eoll. 

In this school they have a regularly organized Mes- 
senger Service, by means of which they can send special 
messages to members of the school. The following blank 
is one used for this purpose : 



Form i MESSENGER CADET SERVICE 

OF THE 

ffiusbwicfe Bvenue^Central /!&♦ JS. SunOaE* 
Scbool 

BROOKLYN, N. Y. 

DEAR FRIEND : 

THIS MESSAGE is handed to you by one of our Mes- 
sengers to let you know of our regret at your absence from 
the Sunday- school, and to express the hope that you are not 
sick. "Every member present every Sunday " is our aim. 

Please let us know on the accompanying blank the 
cause of your absence. 

We trust you can be with us next Sunday. 
Sincerely your superintendent, 

FRANK L. BROWN. 



2 
> 



3 S 

o § 

I s 

el 

3 

H 

ft 

o 



266 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

If the messenger does not find the person at home, he 
leaves the following message : 



Form 2 

MESSENGER CADET SERVICE SLIP 



Dear Friend : 

As a Messenger Cadet, I called at your house to-day with 
a message, which I leave, as I am unable to see you. Will 
you kindly fill out the blanks as requested and mail to our 
superintendent, using the addressed envelope, or, if you prefer 
me to call again for it, please let me know and oblige, 
Yours for the Sunday-school 

Messenger Cadet 

No Street. 



Finally (so far as this article is concerned, but not so 
far as their work with printer's ink is concerned), they 
try to keep track of all their absentees by means of 
visitation, through the use of the following card, which 
is sent to the teachers : 



^ri tn 



3Bu0bwick Bvenue^Gentrat /!&♦ J£. 
^ •! ^ SunOaE^Scbool 

£ oT^ DEPARTMENT 

U,Zo Class No Teacher 

S «£ 

o £*~ 

o o g cl 



% m <u r9 Dear Friend : I notice the absence for 

o -2 ^ ^ successive Sundays of the scholar mentioned above. 

£ 'H S*^ Please ascertain by personal visitation, if possible, or 

2 g Sj by letter, the reason. 

§ c iT & Note same on b ac k °f tn ^ s carc ^ anc ^ retum to me 

u- S'3 w at your earliest convenience. Truly yours, 

H £ .2 & F. L. BROWN, Superintendent. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE HOME DEPARTMENT 

By 3Irs. J. B. Simmons, Superintendent of Home Department in 
New York State 

"The time has now arrived when we must start a 
Home Department in our Sunday-school. What are 
the first steps to be taken ? " 

1. Ask your pastor to preach a sermon on the impor- 
tance of Bible study some Sunday morning, and have 
ready cards to be signed and dropped into the collection 
plates by those who will agree to take up the study of 
the regular lesson at the beginning of the next 
quarter. 

2. Send cards home by the Sunday-school scholars to 
be signed by the parents and returned the following Sun- 
day. A card called " A Message from the Sunday- 
school " has been prepared for this purpose. It reads : 

Bear Parent : — We are very glad to have your 
child in our Sunday-school, and we should be pleased 
to have you also connected with the school. If it 
is not feasible for you to attend its sessions, let us 
enroll you as a member of our Home Department. 
You will then be kept in touch with the school by 
the Visitor, who will bring you the lesson helps 
once in three months, and you will feel yourself oue 
of the vast host engaged in the study of the same 
Scripture passage. Will you join ? If so, write 

267 



2G8 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

your name and address on the blank space below, 
and return this card by your child to 

THE SUPEBINTENDENT. 



Name.... 
Address 



You are at liberty to have cards like this printed if you 
desire to use them for j^our own school. 

3. Your pastor always keeps a correct list of all mem- 
bers of the church and congregation. Ask him to allow 
you to draw off the names of all those who are not 
members of the Sunday-school. Divide this list into 
groups, according to location, and send a wise visitor to 
call on each group. Explain the plan of home Bible 
study. In speaking to church-members emphasize the 
importance of having every member of the church en- 
rolled as a member of the Bible school, either in the 
main school or in the Home Department. 

4. Having secured a list of names from the cards re- 
turned and from the visits made, it now becomes neces- 
sary to elect or appoint a Home Department superintend- 
ent and visitors to carry on the work. There are in all 
churches men and women who often ask themselves, 
" What can I do for the Master ? " Seek out such a con- 
secrated servant. 

The Home Department superintendent needs to be a 
man or woman who is willing to do some writing and to 
plan work to be done by others. A mistaken idea some- 
times causes a refusal to accept this office. The duty of 
the superintendent is to superintend the work, not to do 



THE HOME DEPARTMENT 269 

all the work unaided. With this thought in mind select 
your superintendent, and, in consultation with the pastor, 
Sunday-school superintendent, and Home Department 
superintendent, select the visitors. 

It is not required that a visitor should teach the lesson 
or offer a prayer in every house visited. Occasions may 
arise when such service can be rendered most oppor- 
tunely, but usually the Quarterly is delivered, the report 
of study secured, and a friendly call made once each 
quarter. 

If those whom you desire to have do this work seem 
reluctant to attempt it, invite them to meet in an informal 
way, and talk over the opportunities afforded by the 
Home Department work of reaching those who are not 
now in close touch with the school. Impress upon the 
workers you desire to secure the thought that in this way 
they may render a real service to the Master's kingdom, 
and improve their own spiritual prospects. Pray to- 
gether, asking for guidance. One has said, " The face 
and voice pregnant with fervent communication with the 
Father must achieve success, and turn hesitation into a 
willing decision of acceptance." 

5. An excellent plan is to hold an Installation Service 
at the close of the Sunday morning sermon. The newly 
appointed workers step forward, and the pastor, thanking 
them for their promised help in his work, gives them the 
hand of fellowship in this new line of service, the Sun- 
day-school superintendent gives them the hand of fellow- 
ship in behalf of the school, and the congregation rises 
and stands with the workers, while the pastor offers a 
prayer of consecration. Such a service will surely make 



270 sparks from: a superintendent's anvil 

the Home Department superintendent and visitors feel 
that the church and school appreciate fully the dignity 
and responsibility of their work. If it is not possible to 
arrange for the installation of the workers, do not allow 
that to delay the work. 

6. The list of names of those who are promised as 
home Bible students should now be divided into classes, 
putting into one class about ten or twelve persons who 
live in the same vicinity. Put time and thought upon 
the apportionment of the classes. Endeavor to adjust 
the class and the visitor to each other, in order that the 
work may be done easily, agreeably, and efficiently. It 
is better, when feasible, to give a visitor those whom she 
is not accustomed to visit frequently in a neighborly way, 
as the call will be less likely to degenerate into a mere 
gossipy chat. 

The superintendent should keep a careful record of 
every class, and for that purpose she should provide her- 
self with a "Home Department Superintendent's Record 
Book." She should also give each visitor a " Visitors 
Class Record," in which to keep a careful report of visits 
made, lessons studied by each student, and collections re- 
ceived. These form the basis of the report to be given 
before the school each quarter. The Home Department 
superintendent should recognize the importance of keep- 
ing her records correctly, because if she fails to do so she 
breaks the statistical chain which extends from her de- 
partment to the County, State, and International Sunday- 
school Association. 

A cheerful, courageous Home Department superin- 
tendent will greatly help the visitors. She should call a 



THE HOME DEPARTMENT 271 

meeting of the visitors quarterly, if possible, for mutual 
encouragement and to listen to the reports of work done 
during the past quarter. Let the superintendent con- 
stantly hold before the visitors a high spiritual ideal, and 
help them to feel that here is a very real opportunity to 
do some lasting work for God. 

The visitor should not only carry the helps regularly 
each quarter before the first Sunday and bring back to 
the superintendent the report envelope and offering, but 
should also become the friend of every member of her 
class. Upon the sympathetic touch of the visitor de- 
pends the success of the department. She should keep a 
note-book in which to jot down any items of interest, 
such as illness, especial need of a call from the pastor, 
possible Sunday-school scholars or Cradle Roll members, 
and any expression of interest in the lesson study. From 
these items she will be able to make an interesting quar- 
terly report. 

Objections answered. — The objection is sometimes 
raised against the Home Department that many of those 
who join it ought to be in the main school. If we grant 
that they should be in the main school, it still remains 
true that comparatively few of them could possibly be 
induced to attend its sessions, for many people are not 
ready to do what they ought. Is it not better that they 
should study God's Word in the home than not at all ? 
It was stated at the Toronto Convention that ninety-five 
per cent, of the church-members do not study the Bible. 
It is hopeless to expect that even one-half of that number 
will ever be induced to join the Sunday-school, but many of 
them will join the Home Department if wisely approached. 



272 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

It is sometimes objected that it costs so much to run 
the main school there is no money to buy Home Depart- 
ment supplies. 

Almost without exception the department soon be- 
comes self-sustaining, and in many cases puts money into 
the treasury of the school. It is also often a contributor 
to the benevolent causes of the church with which it is 
connected. The objection of cost is, therefore, not a 
valid one, but the first two quarters' supplies must bo 
paid for by the school, because the visitors do not bring 
back the first quarter's collection envelopes until after 
they have delivered the second set of helps. This, then, is 
the trying time. If you will have patience to carry the 
department through the first six months of its existence, 
you will have no further trouble with its finances. 

The question is often asked, " Does not the Home De- 
partment decrease the membership of the main school ? " 
A sufficient answer to that question is, " No, for if our 
experience proved that it did we should soon cease to 
work the Home Department." Every year some people 
are forced by circumstances to sever their connection 
with the Sunday-school, either for a time or permanently. 
They would stay out just the same if there were no 
Home Department, and so be lost to the school entirely ; 
but through it they are still kept in touch and sympathy 
with the school, and they are more likely to return to it 
when they are again free to do so because of having 
this tie. 

Not only does the Home Department not decrease the 
membership of the main school, but it builds it up in two 
ways. A good percentage of the Home Department 



THE HOME DEPARTMENT 273 

scholars finally join the school, but that is not the only 
advantage gained. It frequently happens that the visit- 
ors in making their rounds find children or even older 
people who can at once be induced to enter the school. 
The visitors are also able to secure many names for the 
Cradle Boll, and a baby's name is often the strongest 
and sometimes the only tie between the parents and the 
church. 

To insure success. — In order to make the department 
as useful and successful as it is possible for it to be- 
come, there should be unanimity of purpose and action 
on the part of all concerned. The pastor may help by 
speaking of its work from the pulpit and by encouraging 
the workers in private 5 and he may sometimes find a 
new student when making his pastoral calls. The Sun- 
day-school superintendent may add his influence, espe- 
cially by calling for frequent reports before the main 
school. The church-members may help by securing 
scholars and by praying for the success of the workers. 
The Home Department students may help by faithful 
study, a careful report, and a regular offering, also by 
calling the attention of a friend to this plan of home 
Bible study. 

Attention to the following little details will cause the 
work of the Home Department superintendent to move 
smoothly. 

The report and collection envelope should be gummed 
to the inside of the cover of the Quarterly ; otherwise it 
is usually lost before the end of the quarter. 

All the helps to be carried by one visitor should be 
made into a package, marked with her name, and given 



274 SPARKS FROM A SUPERINTENDENT'S ANVIL 

to her at least a week in advance. In a small depart- 
ment these packages may be delivered to the visitors at 
church, but in case of a large department it may be nec- 
essary to send some of them by a messenger. 

If a visitor reports the removal of one of her class to 
some other portion of the city, the name should be trans- 
ferred to the class of the visitor for that vicinity and the 
student notified of the change of visitors. If a member 
removes from the city, transfer the name to the corre- 
spondence class. 

When a department becomes very large the superin- 
tendent will find it necessary to have a secretary, who 
should work under her direction, in order that no con- 
fusion may arise in keeping the records. 



REVISED AND ENLARGED 



WAYS OF WORKING 

OR, HELPFUL HINTS TO SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL WORKERS OF ALL KINDS 

By Rev. A. F. Schauffler, D.D. 
232 pp. Cloth, $1.00 



The new edition contains a chapter on the Relation of the Pastor to 
the Sunday School, a supplementary chapter on The Blackboard (illus- 
trated), and one on the Home Department. Everybody should have 
this book. It covers every phase of Sunday-school work in a clear, 
instructive manner, and cannot fail to be of marked benefit to every 
worker. It has received the highest commendations from the relig- 
ious press and the leading Sunday-school men. Below we give a 
proof of them. 

" The appearance of a really helpful manual for Sunday-school teachers 
or superintendents is a noteworthy event. Dr. Schauffler has given us the 
ripe results of his experience as superintendent and a teacher of teachers. He 
takes up the various phases of a superintendent's work, and shows what 
constitutes success, how success is often lost, and how it may be won." — 
6". S. Times. 

"This is a capital book. So far as the teacher and the method go, it 
leaves nothing unsaid. Dr. Schauffler's book is the very best book for 
teachers, and on teacher's methods, that we have seen." — The Independent, 
New York. 

" It unlocks the door to the treasure-house of Sunday-school success." — 
F. N. Peloubet, D. D. 

" The best all-around book for a Sunday-school worker I know of." — 
Marion Lawrence , Sec'y Ohio State S. S. Association. 

" Cannot fail to be of value in the hands of all Sunday-school workers." 
— W. H. Hall, Sec'y of Conn. State S. S. Association. 

"Dr. A. F. Schauffler, who is widely known as one of the most expert 
and distinguished Sunday-school men of our time, has prepared a book en- 
titled ' Ways of Working.' 

" As the title suggests, it is a statement of methods, and abounds in prac- 
tical suggestions concerning all departments of Sunday-school work, the 
duties of every officer, and all particulars which are likely to suggest them- 
selves. It is based upon long and varied personal experience and observa- 
tion. It is written in a clear, simple, telling fashion, and will take rank at 
once in Sunday-school literature as a standard publication." — The Congre- 
gationalism 



W.A.WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON AND CHICAGO 



The Teacher, The Child 
and The Book 

OR, PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS AND METHODS 
FOR SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORKERS 

By Rev. A. F. Schauffler, D.D. 
283 pp. Cloth, $1.00 



" Not many men among us are better able to teach teachers 
than Dr. Schauffler. His life has been devoted to the work, and he 
has done it well. This book is full of good things. Its aim is to 
give the teacher information concerning methods of work which have 
been found practical and helpful. The book is heartily commended 
to teachers who desire to make the most possible of their ability and 
of their opportunity." — The Westminster Teacher. 

" All the promises of the title page are fully kept. This volume 
gives to teachers a variety of carefully selected information concern- 
ing methods of work which have been found practical and helpful by 
others. Rarely indeed have we made the acquaintance of a book 
that has a better claim to be regarded as practical. The suggestions 
that are offered have the backing of sound common sense and the 
recommendation of successful trial. A teacher that is capable of 
learning anything at all from such a book as this cannot fail to get 
new strength and quickening for his great work from these rich 
pages." — Sunday School Work. 

" Teachers who really wish to teach, and so instruct the child in 
the precious truths of the divine word as that a lasting impression 
shall be made, will find this volume of very great help in the wise 
performance of their sacred task." — The Examiner. 

" This book is exceedingly practical as well as very attractive. 
Each chapter gives a definite view of some important truth. Dr. 
Schauffler does not aim at exhaustiveness, but rather at clear impres- 
sions. The volume is one that is sure to energize any Sunday school 
whose teachers will read it." — The Christian Endeavor World. 

" This book is not visionary, nor theoretical, but intensely practi- 
cal; it tells an average teacher how to do things with just what may 
be at hand with an average class of little ones, or with larger 
children." — The Baptist Teacher. 



W. A. WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON AND CHICAGO 



The Front Line of the Sunday- 
School Movement 

THE LINE OF THE VANGUARD OF SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL PROGRESS, WITH A GLIMPSE OF 
IDEALS BEYOND 

By Rev. F. JV. Peloubet, D.D. 
2 %7 ftft- Cloth, $1.00 



" These chapters are filled to the brim with helpful suggestions, 
which are given point and illumination by striking illusions and tell- 
ing quotations. The arguments are ably sustained and finely wrought 
out. Notes of progress are sounded all the way along. Workers 
who desire to find the front line of Sunday-school work and to keep 
on it may read this book to their profit. It is notably free from the 
1 ologies ' that overload some of our modern books treating the Sun- 
day school. The meat that is here will afford strength for many 
days." — Sunday-School Work. 

" This volume is the ripe fruit of long and intimate observation 
and the fullest practical knowledge. It discusses the topics that are 
most important and most vital at the present time, such as teacher- 
training, the grading of Sunday schools, organization for 
Bible-study, the historic and other methods of Bible-study, Sunday- 
school rooms and their equipment. The entire volume in each 
chapter and page is helpful. No Sunday-school worker but will count 
it worth its weight in gold." — The Christian Endeavor World. 

u The aim of the book is to show the best that has been accomplished 
in Sunday school, and help others to attain that standard. The 
character of the building, grading of the school, training teachers, 
preparation of lessons, and methods of teaching are all discussed in 
an illuminating and practical manner; and no one can read these 
chapters without benefit. Every Sunday-school officer and teacher 
should possess and study this book." — W. E. Moody. 

u Dr. Peloubet is a master in this realm, and a careful observer of 
methods. Superintendents ought to secure several copies for their 
Sunday-school library, and encourage young men and women to 
read it, instead of books that merely amuse but give no practical 
instruction. The pastor will find this work invaluable while he 
seeks to train his teachers. In fact, every official in the school 
ought to become familiar with its teaching and carry out into prac- 
tice the lessons taught therein." — The Baltimore Methodist. 



W.A.WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON AND CHICAGO 



THE BLACKBOARD IN 
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL 

By Henry Turner Bailey, State Super- 
visor of Drawing of Massachusetts 
Price, bound in cloth, 75 cents, postpaid 

11 Henry T. Bailey is peculiarly fitted for the task of writing on ' The 
Blackboard in Sunday-school,' being at once an ardent Sunday-school man, 
a student of teaching methods, and officially the State Supervisor of Draw- 
ing for Massachusetts. The manner of the book is in Mr. Bailey's most 
winning vein, clear, lively, informing, independent, and original. It is par- 
ticularly designed to teach the uninitiated some of the fundamentals of draw- 
ing, and especially blackboard drawing, including lettering, of course. The 
book is full of clever little turns of expression, sometimes direct, and some- 
times aside. That the blackboard has been badly abused and overdone in 
some of the Sunday schools is beyond question. Mr. Bailey is careful to 
adminster the caution that the 'acrostic may be easily overdone.' Many 
a person who is not a Sunday-school superintendent or teacher will derive 
enjoyment, to say nothing of profit, from this learned, beautiful, abundantly 
illustrated, and otherwise admirable book." — The Sunday School Times. 

"This new book on the blackboard is beautifully gotten up and most at- 
tractive. Much of the matter that deals with the principles of teaching is 
first class."— Rev. A . F. Schatiffler, D.D. 

THE BLACKBOARD CLASS 
FOR PRIMARY SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL TEACHERS 

By Florence H. Darnell 
Price, 25 cents, postpaid 

The purpose of this little book is to aid those teachers who desire to illus* 
trate their work, and yet feel that they have not the ability to draw. Believ- 
ing that "the power to draw is innate in every one," the author has prepared 
a series of lessons which develop this ability by easy stages. The lessons 
begin with simple drills in straight lines and circles. Gradually they grow 
more difficult, until the pupil who has practised faithfully is able to draw any 
ordinary picture. 

The Twenty-third Psalm, the Parable of the Sower, and other special il- 
lustrations are carefully taught. 

" By easy and gradual steps the learner is shown how to use the crayon, 
thus gaining, by daily practice, skill in simple illustration of the lesson. This 
little book is suggestive not only to primary teachers, but helpful to mothers 
who seek to interest the children at home." — The Sunday School World. 

" I would say that Miss Darnell's experience in giving directions for black- 
boards to Sunday-school Primary Teachers has enabled her to make a most 
practicable book for all teachers. It is just such a book as Primary Sunday- 
school Teachers desire to have and greatly need." — Mrs. Wilbur F. Crafts. 

W. A. WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON AND CHICAGO 



SEP 29 I9Q9 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



